El Salvador | Finca Las Mercedes
La Avila SL28 Washed
Blackberry, Hazelnut, Black Tea
El Salvador | Finca Las Mercedes
La Avila SL28 Washed
Blackberry, Hazelnut, Black Tea
This silky light roast—previously featured as our Holiday Bean—greets you with aromas of nougat, pecan, and blackberry. Notes of cocoa powder, hazelnut, and crisp black tea are joined by blackberry jam acidity, leading to a finish of raw hazelnut and honeycrisp apple.
Producer: Lucia Ortiz
Farm: Finca Las Mercedes
Region: Usulután Department
Altitude: 1,524-1,905 masl
Varietal: SL28
Process: Washed
Roast: Light
Notes: Blackberry, Hazelnut, Black Tea
From its origins in Kenya in the 1930s, SL28 spread through Africa and is commonly grown in Latin America today. A relative of Bourbon, it is known for its exceptional cup quality and high yield.
Within hours of harvest the cherries are brought to the on-farm mill and depulped, leaving a small amount of sweet, honey-like mucilage clinging to the parchment layer surrounding the beans. The coffee is left in a fermentation tank where enzymes break down the mucilage. After fermenting for 12-18 hours the coffee is sent through washing channels and then moved to drying patios.
Owned by the 5th generation of the Ortiz Barriere family, Finca Las Mercedes is everything we look for in a Direct Trade partner—and we've worked with them since 2006. Currently led by our friend Lucia Ortiz, Las Mercedes has become one of the top quality coffee producers in El Salvador. In fact, a lot from La Avila won the El Salvador Coffee of the Year competition in 2012.
Coffee FAQs
All of our coffees are roasted to order. Orders placed before 4PM Central roast + ship the next business day. Orders placed after 4PM Central on Thursday will roast + ship on Monday.
Single 10oz bags of coffee are eligible for $3 USPS Ground Advantage shipping or faster $5 Flat Rate shipping.
Coffee orders under $50 ship via $5 Flat Rate.
Coffee orders over $50 ship free in the US!
We recommend ordering Whole Bean and grinding just before you brew for best results. But if you don't have a coffee grinder yet, we're happy to grind it for you. We offer four grind sizes:
• Espresso: a very fine grind suitable for home espresso machines.
• Fine: a fine grind suitable for single-cup pour overs with a cone filter.
• Auto: a medium grind suitable for automatic drip coffee makers.
• Coarse: a coarse grind suitable for French press, cold brew, and percolators.
Check out our Brew Guides for tips on popular methods.
Due to limited inventory, this coffee is not eligible for recurring orders. Browse our Subscribe + Save collection here.