Are you looking to buy El Salvador | Emilio Lopez Diaz | Las Isabella | SL28 Natural #8067 in Australia?
SCA Score: 85.75
Suitable with Milk? YES
Roast Level: Medium
AGTRON: 66
FARM/COOP/STATION: Finca Las Isabellas
OWNER: Emilio López & Jose Roberto Santamaría
REGION/AREA: Apaneca, Ahuachapán
FARM SIZE: 245 hectares
HARVEST MONTHS: October - March
SL varieties are unusual in Central America and we’re excited to have this SL28 lot from Emilio López and Jose Roberto Santamaría. They take the high-quality SL28 variety and give it the best care and attention from producers with generations of knowledge and passion for coffee production. The result is priceless.
This coffee is the product of the skill and knowledge from Emilio López and Jose Roberto Santamaría’s multigenerational coffee-producing families. They have a deep connection with their land and together, they joined forces to create Odyssey Coffees, an El Salvador and Portland-based coffee company.
Their production is located at 6 farms: Fincas Las Isabellas, Tapantogusto, Las Piedras, La Cumbre, El Manzano and Ayutepeque.
When they merged their operations, Emilio and Jose worked together to ensure that they were using the same methods on all their farms and ensure that their quality is consistent and sustainable. They offer coffee to clients worldwide and have a strong recurring demand for their production.
Emilio and Roberto acquired Finca Las Isabellas in 2007 and now focus on producing SL varieties, Pacamara, Pacas and Red Bourbon on the farm. They have an on-site wet mill, Tequendama mill, where they process their own cherry and those of neighboring farms.
In order to support the producing communities near Finca Tequendama and Finca Las Isabellas, they created their project “Growing Together” in April 2021. They offered workshops for suppliers to help them increase their productivity and quality. They also offer medical assistance and educational programs for youth.
Cultivation
Emilio came across SL varieties, which were developed by Scott Agricultural Laboratories in Kenya, in the 2010s when he tasted an SL34 variety grown by a friend of his. At the time, he didn’t know that the variety was SL34. He was so enamored with the taste of the SL variety that he asked his friend for some seeds and began his own nursery for cultivating SL varieties. After his first harvest of those trees, he sent some foliage to World Coffee Research for DNA testing and learned that the trees were SL34. Since then, he’s been expanding the number of SL variety trees on his farms and continuing to focus on producing high-quality coffees.
The farm is 245 hectares total. Much of that is planted with coffee but Roberto and Emilio have kept 87 hectares as a natural reserve for local species. The reserve also protects a local water source that runs through the farm.
Harvest & Post Harvest
Cherry is selectively handpicked and delivered to Tequendama Mill. Ripe, red cherry is washed and then transported to the patios. Cherry is laid on patios to dry and raked frequently to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 12 to 14 days for cherry to dry.
About SL28 & SL34
SL28 and SL34 were just two of the cultivars released by Scott Agricultural Laboratories (SAL) during the height of SAL’s research in Kenya in the 1930s and 1940s. They soon became the cultivars of choice for most growers due to their deep root structure that allows them to maximize scarce water resources and flourish even without irrigation. SL varieties also had higher yields than the French Bourbon rootstock that they replaced and were known to be somewhat more disease-resistant.
While SL varieties are still highly sought after today, they’ve become less widely cultivated in Kenya due to their relatively low resistance to coffee leaf rust (CLR). Compared to more recent varieties, SL varieties are more susceptible to diseases and pests and require very specific altitudes and climates to flourish. However, that hasn’t stopped specialty-focused farmers, who, inspired by the flavours and popularity of SL varieties, have spread the cultivation of SL varieties worldwide.
Coffee in El Salvador
Don’t be fooled by El Salvador’s small size. It was once the 4th largest coffee producer worldwide and continues to produce high-quality lots. The country is known for its great cupping varieties, such as Bourbon and Pacamara. In fact, two beloved, frequently high-scoring varieties—Pacas and Pacamara— originated in El Salvador.
Unlike other countries, where specialty coffee production has required a great deal of additional investment and training, El Salvador already has a broad and skilled specialty coffee workforce. Farming traditions run deep, and many Salvadorian farmers are extremely passionate about coffee production and continuously strive to improve their crop. El Salvador has optimal conditions for coffee processing. The prolonged dry season typically occurs during the harvest season, making it easier to sun dry coffee.
Though coffee output in the country has been declining for over two decades – exacerbated by the CLR crisis – the approach to coffee production has changed from volume- to quality-driven. A new generation of coffee producers has sprouted around the country with a new vision and approach to production. Many of this generation are experimenting with processing and varietals.
SKU: r_elsalvador_emilio_las_isabella_400g
Package Weight: 400g
How does my coffee come packaged?
Despite some of our product images looking very fancy our coffee is packaged into a plain brown paper foiled lined bag with a Swiss WIPF degassing valve. This offers superior oxygen and moisture protection. We recommend once you crack the seal you store your coffee in AirScape containers or Weber Workshop Bean Cellars for a single dosing option.
You can also freeze/vacuum seal in small lots, then use straight away once removed from freezer.
We don't have fancy printed bags with ziplocks (more plastic), we save that cost and buy better quality green beans so you can focus on your cup quality instead of fancy marketing and artwork.