Vietnam – Lam Dong – Robusta Washed

Description

This is a blender coffee. Similar to the Indian Cherry Robusta except washed processed. Robusta is a different type of coffee, with a higher caffeine content and very different tastes from Arabica coffee, which dominates our list.

Generally used around 3-10% in espresso blends to add body, crema and more dark toned kick. If you have drank some classic European espresso, a coffee like this is causing the unique taste in the shot. Not used as heavily in the America’s but has its fans for sure. High caffeine drip brews often use up to 50% Robusta going much above 30% it will dominate the taste. Good to pair with Sumatra Wet-hulled, tends to contend in stronger more traditional tones.

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.

Tasting Notes: This is a darker roast coffee. Thick and creamy, low acidity, sweet edged and overly earthy. Robusta has a distinct taste you cannot miss in the cup. Somewhere in the herbal, earthy, rubbery, spice noted alley. Umami for some, mushroom herbal for others.

Roasting Notes: Roasts a bit two toned with medium chaff, a mid-grade coffee mainly for blending. Make sure you at least touch second crack when roasting. Give it a couple days before drinking to smooth it out. Fun to try as a single origin coffee, a good example of classic Robusta, but mainly for blending.