Origin:  Honduras

These beans - are not Fair Trade certified, or Direct Trade certified, but somewhere in between.  Sustainably sourced for sure.  I'll be working on the proper designation in the time to come, and am very pleased to be able to offer both these beans and the support they give to those who grow and process them.  These beans were sourced with care about the farmer and co-ops, premiums well above the market minimum were paid (nearly double in this case) and only the best beans were accepted.

This is the first time I have offered this origin and it's a pleasure.  It's presents quite a bit differently than any other bean I can think of in recent history.  The first aroma I get is of soft leather, like a supple piece of deer skin.  Buttery almost.  With that comes along bright dried fruits.  And what I mean by that is that it is like the fruits in question (slightly indefinable) were bright (like raspberry, or tangy grape) before they were dried and some of that comes though, but subdued.  That light, soft leather stays with the chocolate in the flavor, along with an almost milk like softness, with layers of that concentrated sweetness you get in caramel and dried fruits.  In particular I get very light banana and bing cherry.  There is a slight, balancing astringency (very good in this case) but no particular bitterness to speak of.  In the finish I find an almost 'mocha' like flavor - not really coffee but that synergistic melding of coffee and chocolate which lends a satisfying richness to the whole flavor profile.

As for roasting, feel free to experiment here.  The bean is sturdy enough to handle a wide range, but fermented well enough to accept a light roast if that is to your liking.