Costa Rica La Magnolia SWP Decaf
Costa Rica La Magnolia SWP Decaf
Farm Description
La Magnolia is a trade name with a long history, and was consistently one of my favorite Costa Rica coffees for many years. Well, that was before I started dealing exclusively with the small farm micro-mills. But the fact is, La Magnolia is still a nice, clean cup, and this Swiss Water Decaf lot really impressed me for it's attractive sweetness. This coffee was formerly from Tres Rios area, but Tres Rios is now largely a shopping mall and subdivision in a booming suburb of San Jose, the Costa Rica capital. I am skeptical about how much coffee is truly grown in Tres Rios. Nonetheless, the La Magnolia mark goes on, and this Swiss Water cup was really nice.
Cupping Notes
I noticed right away in the dry fragrance a caramel and malty sweet note, with just a hint of molasses and fruit. This continues through the wet aroma and into the cup, with sweetness, mild cherry-like fruit, and a nice velvety body. There's a very mild cocoa-laced chocolate note – it actually reminds me of a fudgesicle! I feel like this coffee sends another message, at least to me as a coffee buyer: Swiss Water has been working on their process, and the results are improving. There was a time when everything from the Swiss Water decaf plant tasted so flat and cardboard-like, but this coffee has a crystal clear brightness and sweetness, as well as a very smooth texture.
Chris Schooley adds: Very malty sweet all the way through with some molasses and cinnamon in the finish. A confident and consistent acidity brightens the cup and accentuates the clean finish.

