Tasting Notes: Patchouli, Cocoa, Praline
Hale Taste Scale: 8
Varietals: Catimor, Typica
Elevation: 1100 - 1400 masl
Process: Washed
Region: Lam Dong
Best Enjoyed As: Vietnamese coffee Style (cà phê sữa nóng)
More about Bao Loc Mill:
Lam Dong is a mountainous province in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, and the only province not bordering Laos or Cambodia. The Central Highlands is comprised of a series of contiguous plateaus, with some of the highest peaks in northern Lam Dong. Lam Dong is 70% forested and experiences a tropical monsoon climate with steady year-round temperatures. On average, temperatures range from 60-73°F with little fluctuation but can be more extreme depending on the elevation. Rainfall per year is between 60-106 inches. The complex topography, mild weather, predictable rainy seasons, and varying vegetation contribute to an ecosystem that describes how coffee has been produced in such large quantities since the mid-1900s.
The average farmer in the Lam Dong region of Vietnam cultivates coffee on about 1.2 hectares of land. They grow a mix of Catimor with some heirloom Arabica varieties, though the country is more famous for its Robusta production. Other crops include persimmon, macadamia, and avocado. Coffee is delivered in its cherry form and is processed at a central washing station named Bao Loc located in Dung K'No. Most coffees at Bao Loc are semi-washed, a term more common in Asia and the Asia-Pacific region. Still, it describes a process somewhat similar to Honey in Central America. It is depulped and dried partially in its mucilage, then washed clean and dried on raised beds and/or patios for 3–5 days.
Most specialty coffee in Vietnam undergoes washed processing. After harvest, the coffee is sorte,d and most of the mucilage is mechanically removed which uses less water in the processing. The coffee is then fermented for a short time before drying on a patio or raised beds for 5-7 days.
