ohn Farrer & Co of Kendal, a leading producer, roaster, supplier and distributor of coffee and tea for over 200 years, is proud to mark its rich heritage with their NEW John Farrer Signature Collection.
The Signature Collection will complement the company’s diverse line of coffees, focussing specifically on small batch seasonal single origin offerings from across the globe.
This is a project born out of passion and a love of the very best coffee. Farrer’s dedicated team of roasters with over 60 years’ experience between them have painstakingly handpicked and selected premium single origin coffees from sought-after coffee crops produced by small single estate plantations.
The first in the new collection is a coffee from the Central American country of El Salvador – Finca El Ingenio. A classic Central American coffee, characterised by sweet fruity flavours, has a great body with notes of toffee, plum, apple, chocolate and caramel rounded off with a gentle acidity at the finish.
El Ingenio is a true labour of love, spanning six generations of the same family, growing and nurturing their coffee in a true tropical paradise. The estate dates back to 1875, when Juan Urrutia planted the first high altitude coffee trees in the rich volcanic soil found on the estate, which yielded a first crop of 27 bags of coffee. Since then, the estate has expanded and has been significantly improved, but without impacting on local habitats and more importantly the rainforest.
All of Urrutias estate coffees are 100% shade grown and native trees are planted every year to prevent erosion and to maintain the forest canopy and habitat conditions for the rich and diverse flora and fauna found in the region. Which is why unsurprisingly the estate has been designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and is also Rainforest Alliance certified.
These days, the estate is managed by the sixth generation of the family, made up of Enrique, Rene and Gustavo, with their father Gustavo keeping a watchful eye on them purely in an advisory capacity.
The harvested coffee is washed and placed into a wet fermentation tank before progressing to the drying stage, which is split between traditional ‘guardiolas’ (coffee dryers) and patios depending on the weather, need, and volume of cherry being delivered to the mill. Beans mature fairly quickly here, and as a result the bean structure is fairly soft, and therefore quick to roast. The subtle acidity and simple flavours that come from El Salvador make this loveable and highly drinkable coffee.
The Farrer’s roasters produce small batches of El Ingenio every Wednesday to ensure that the freshest and best conditioned coffee reaches their customers. Starting at £8.95 per 250g bag El Ingenio is available as a whole bean or pre-ground, packed in a resealable bag, recyclable box with a detailed information card.
Dave Walsh, Farrer’s General Manager commented: ‘’John Farrer & Co are the oldest coffee roaster in the UK, crafting delicious coffees for over 200 years. As we continue our journey into our third century, we have taken the opportunity to create a range of seasonal single origin coffees bearing our founder’s name – the John Farrer Signature Collection. Each coffee in this Collection has been carefully selected by our expert roasters from small farms and estates around the globe. Selected to showcase the very best of a particular producer’s craft premium coffees that deliver great flavours in each and every cup. We believe these coffees will leave you wanting more.’’
