EL MARTILLO / EL SALVADOR
El Martillo / El Savador
Flavor Profile :
"Filter roast"
Mandarine Orange, Berries, Hint of Jasmine, Almond.
"Espresso roast"
Mandarine Orange, Blueberry, Intense, Juicy, High cacao chocolate.
Origon: El Salvador
Producer: Jose Antonio Salaverria & Sons
Region: Santa Ana > Apaneca Ilamatepeque
Farm: Finca San Francisco > El Martillo
Variety: SL-28
Process: Washed
Altitude: 1650~1700 masl
Farm size : 294 ha
Tablone size : 19.5 ha
Harvest: 2023
From the Saraveria family, who also bring you the El Pedregal coffee for espresso, we present the SL-28 variety.
SL28 is one of the most famous and highly regarded varieties in Africa. Originally selected in Kenya in the 1930s, this variety later spread from Kenya to other parts of Africa, and is now also grown in Latin America. It is called SL because it was originally born in a research laboratory called the Scott Laboratory.With flavors reminiscent of currants and berries, it is an extremely fruity variety that combines a robust fruitiness with rich sweetness. It has also been introduced to El Salvador, where production is gradually increasing.
While having a different expression from the Kenyan SL28, this variety retains a strong fruitiness, giving a juicy fruit flavor reminiscent of eating citrus or berry flesh. A faint aroma of white flowers pleasantly transitions into a gentle sweetness.
When extracting the flavor intensely like an espresso, the berry fruitiness becomes even more pronounced, giving an impression of eating fresh blueberries. At the same time, it maintains the clean, sweet character typical of El Salvador coffees, with the different qualities intermingling to create a more complex profile.
From the moment you open the bag, an aroma reminiscent of high-cacao chocolate wafts out - crisp yet sweet. You can definitely detect that chocolate aroma when actually tasting the coffee as well.
The José Antonio Saraveria family owns three large farms around the Santa Ana Volcano in El Salvador, where they are passionate about coffee production. Their main farm, Finca San Francisco, spans a vast 294 hectares, with plots divided into "tablones" (small parcels) at elevations ranging from 1200 to 1700 meters above sea level, allowing cultivation and processing to be managed for each plot.
At their beneficio (mill), they use an eco-pulper called a "jotagallo" to remove over 80% of the mucilage. The beans are then soaked overnight to enhance the fruitiness and produce a clean cup. After that, they are carefully dried for 15 days in the sun and shade.
Their greatest strength is the meticulous quality control of harvesting only uniform, deep red, fully ripe cherries by hand. Maintaining such homogeneity from the enormous volume of coffee harvested at this farm is a testament to their exceptional effort.
Even during roasting, We were surprised by how few defective beans or foreign matter were present.
They also place a strong emphasis on sustainable production, with 60% of their output being Rainforest Alliance certified. Employee welfare is highly valued, with systems in place to incentivize hard work, such as providing generous performance-based bonuses to managers. There is excellent teamwork, and José Antonio considers his employees to be the company's greatest asset.
They also make great efforts towards environmental protection and contributing to the local community. The farms have a resident workforce of 50-60 employees who receive fair wages and access to education. Efficient working environments are provided to enhance job satisfaction. They also support the local community through initiatives like constructing and operating a medical clinic and donating land for schools.
It is the Saraveria family's commitment to tradition, pride, high quality and sustainable production that makes this coffee so appealing.
