Alterra Coffee Lovers' List 7th Edition
El Salvador El Cashal

Welcome to the 7th edition of our e-mail coffee program! After a long gap, we've finally found a Salvadoran coffee worth offering. But make no mistake, this one didn't just make the cut, it set a new standard.

"Dense, luscious body in exact balance with flawless, sweet-tart acidity and flavors suggesting caramel, maple, almond, butterscotch, honey and dark chocolate. Its all we've been drinking since it arrived!"

I'm sure there's a cliché I could use here that would be appropriate. Maybe "diamond in the rough" or "there are many fish in the sea" or "the best things come to those who wait." Not that I want to compare coffee to ketchup, but I cupped, cupped and recupped El Salvadors and just when I was about to give up, the El Cashal appeared. Visually, it was very clean and well-prepared and looked like it had some potential. After tasting this stuff I knew we had to buy it.

A fourth-generation coffee grower, María Alicia Castillo de Magaña produces about 250 bags of El Cashal per year on her small plot of land in western El Salvador. After we contracted all of the available coffee from her 05-06 harvest, our importer told me that María was one of about 185 farmers who had entered the 2006 El Salvador Cup of Excellence (CoE). When the results of the competition came in, we were ecstatic to learn that El Cashal had placed 21st, earning the prestigious "Cup of Excellence Winner" title and a place in the on-line auction.

Since we had already purchased the bulk of El Cashal's coffee, we did not bid on the small lot that was sold through the auction and although its from the same farm and of identical quality, we cannot label our coffee as a CoE winner.

Like many of the coffee farms in El Salvador, El Cashal is comprised of mainly heirloom bourbón coffee trees and it shows in the cup. Dense, luscious body in exact balance with flawless, sweet-tart acidity and flavors suggesting caramel, maple, almond, butterscotch, honey and dark chocolate. Its all we've been drinking since it arrived!

Follow this link for the full story.

• We will take pre-orders until: Monday, August 28th at 3pm Central Time.
• We'll roast the coffee on: Monday, August 28th at 3pm Central Time.
• Your coffee will be shipped on or made available for pick-up on: Tuesday, August 29th

• Shop our on-line store to have this coffee delivered to your doorstep.
OR
• For In-store pickup at one of our retail locations, e-mail strongcoffee@alterracoffee.com and include:
• the location of pick-up
• your name
• phone number (including area code)
• # of one-pound bags
• whole bean or your desired grind setting

Thanks for taking part in this offer - we look forward to roasting more great coffees in the near future! If you have any questions, please e-mail us at strongcoffee@alterracoffee.com.

Best,
, and your friends at Alterra Coffee Roasters
www.alterracoffee.com - Strong Coffee Since 1993