Ivan Solis – Candy Natural – Black & White Roasters

Honey and naturally processed Costa Rican coffees have become some of my favorites over the past year. The juicy & fruity intensity I’ve found in them has been unparalleled in any other coffee. This Candy Natural from Ivan Solis was a real treat. The candy natural process is a process Ivan created that is an anaerobic fermentation with an added twist of “Mosto,” a bacteria that is added during bacteria to create a more complex and unique flavor profile. Supposedly each one leads to a slightly different result. I haven’t tried any others, but this one was absolutely incredible.

The coffee begins with an intensely fruity and sweet fragrance. The tropical fruit notes were strong and it almost smelled like a bag of candy when I first opened it. The flavor was extraordinary with a fruit-toned profile filled with complex tropical fruit notes. I got notes that reminded me of pineapple, mangos, peach, mixed berries, and figs all mixed together. It had a lovely mouthcoating quality to it with a smooth body. The acidity was steady, but grew throughout each sip. The coffee was incredibly sweet with a complex fruit-toned sweetness that was rich and an extension of the notes I identified in the flavor. The finish lingered with the sweetness and acidity lasting long after every sip.

The Bottom Line

This coffee was a perfect example of what I’ve come to love in Costa Rican coffees as of late. It was intensely sweet with a wonderfully complex flavor profile. I was sad when I brewed my last batch with this one.