Las Brumas, WFC, Anaerobic Natural SL28, El Salvador

Flavour profile: A sweet aroma. The coffee has flavour notes of prunes and a lively acidity of pineapple. The mouthfeel is juicy with a long aftertaste of sparkling white wine.

Colour to describe flavour: Yellow Category: Adventurous Producers: Ernesto Menéndez Varietal: SL28 Process: Anaerobic Natural Harvest: March 2025 Location: Apaneca-Ilamatepec Mountain Range, Santa Ana  Elevation: 1460 - 2000 meters above sea level Price transparency: The FOB price paid for this coffee was 8.5 US$/Ib.

Las Brumas Anaerobic Natural SL28 is produced by our longtime partner and friend, Ernesto Menéndez. This super special SL28 from Las Brumas is one of Ernesto’s top lots, he prepared this to competition standard, which means more sorting as a smaller lot, and extra care and attention. Located in the forest of the Apaneca-Ilamatepec mountain range, Las Brumas is totally different from any other coffee farm we've ever seen. The coffee trees at Las Brumas are spread out in the forest to be built up as "wild grown" as possible, without interfering with nature.

Nearly 70 years ago, the previous owner of Las Brumas planted SL28 seeds on the farm, seeds which had been taken home to El Salvador from a hunting trip in Kenya. Over time they've of course adapted to the different growing conditions and terroir, but still hold their trademark cooling finish and hibiscus notes of this varietal. Today the SL28 is grown side by side with newer Pacamara, Ernesto's philosophy is the mix the two as they belong together and impact each other. So this will be the closest you ever come to a "blend" at Drop Coffee.

We've began working with Ernesto in 2015, and have been buying the coffee from his farms Las Brumas and Los Andes ever since. It was a relationship that started purely based on geekiness in how to create a really high-end cup of coffee. Ernesto is a great producer who constantly cups and improves his methods of growing and processing, something that makes working together really fun, and he has a theory behind every decision in how this coffee was produced. Ernesto has won the Cup of Excellence several times, and the coffee from Las Brumas has also previously won the World Barista Championship.  

To learn more about Ernesto Menéndez and Las Brumas farm click here.

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Produced by Ernesto Menéndez in the Apaneca-Ilamatepec Mountain Range of Santa Ana, this Las Brumas lot represents a sophisticated intersection of terroir and technique. The coffee utilizes the SL28 varietal, a plant originally developed in Kenya that is now celebrated globally for its distinct acidity and complex profile. By employing an anaerobic natural processing method, the producer has pushed the boundaries of traditional fermentation to achieve the vibrant, fruit-forward characteristics noted by Drop Coffee.

In the cup, this selection presents a profile defined by prunes, pineapple, and the effervescent quality of sparkling white wine. While anaerobic processing often imparts a heightened intensity and unique structural depth to the bean, tasters can reference the flavor wheel to better categorize these specific sensory experiences. Grown at elevations between 1460 and 2000 masl, this El Salvadoran offering showcases how meticulous post-harvest handling can transform a classic varietal into a truly singular expression.