SON LA

ORIGIN : Son La, Vietnam FARMER : Smallholder Farmers ALTITUDE : 1000-2000 m VARIETAL : Catimor PROCESSING : Washed White Honey ROAST : Light Medium TASTING NOTES : Lemon-Lime, Cucumber-Melon, Honey, Creamy, Leather

 

Arabica coffees make up only a small percentage of the coffee that Vietnam produces. Vietnam is a country of smallholder farms, averaging 1-3 hectares, and farmers do not process their own coffee here but instead sell red cherry to wet mills, which process the coffee for export.

During honey-style coffee processing, most of the pulp is removed from the coffee bean with a bit of remaining mucilage left to impart flavor. The coffee is then sun-dried and sorted and hulled before grading and exportation. 

 

We roast on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and to ensure the best tasting coffees, orders received after Monday may not be processed or shipped until the following week.

Sourced from smallholder farmers in the Son La region of Vietnam, this offering from Bard Coffee showcases the potential of the Catimor varietal when cultivated at elevations between 1000 and 2000 meters. The coffee undergoes a washed white honey process, a technique that balances the clarity of washed coffees with the subtle sweetness often associated with mucilage retention. To better understand how these processing methods influence the final cup, one can reference the flavor wheel for guidance on identifying specific sensory attributes.

In the cup, this lot presents a complex profile characterized by bright lemon-lime acidity and refreshing cucumber-melon notes, rounded out by a distinct honey sweetness and a creamy, leather-like finish. While honey-processed coffees often bridge the gap between clean acidity and heavy body, the specific expression here highlights the unique terroir of the Vietnamese highlands. This selection serves as a compelling example of how careful post-harvest handling can elevate traditional regional varietals.