Hits: 4
Beans: La Margarita, Red Bourbon, Super Natural, Ocobamba, Cusco, Peru.
Shop: Neira Cafe Lab, Lima, Peru.
Neira Cafe Lab – La Margarita: Background Information.
Harry Neira, the owner of Neira Cafe Lab, was introduced to coffee by his ‘Abuela’ at the age of nine. At the age of 18, Harry started working as a barista and the love-connection with coffee was born. It only took him until the age of 27 to open his first Neira Cafe Lab, and as of today he is the proud over of two coffeeshops. Neira Cafe Lab is a name of renown throughout Lima and, I am sure of it, internationally in South America. After visiting his new shop in Miraflores and tasting some of his roasts, I was sold! It was a no-brainer for me to write the review of his La Margarita, a super natural Red Bourbon that is just a plain fruit bomb.
La Margarita hails from Ocobamba near Cusco, Peru. At an altitude of 1900 meters above sea level, the climate for growing quality coffee is ideal. The mountainous region hosts some spectaculair waterfalls, haciendas en lots of slopes on which to grow coffee.
Opening the package.
Neira Cafe Lab keeps their beans in a white plastic package with a ziplock and degassing valve. The label is a constantly changing label with a bright color and the name of the coffee on it. Aside from the logo itself, you can read about the altitude, region and varietal of the coffee. On most packages you will find three tasting notes, however on the La Margarita there are none. There is a small sentence saying: ‘Mucha Chica Morada’ which translates roughly in ‘A lot of girlish purple’…and you will find out why this name is so striking!
When opening the package you will see beautifully roasted coffee, no defects and an amazing scent. It is like opening a bag of fruit candy…there are notes of cherry, raisin, raspberry, strawberry, blueberry and all of it is carried by an alcoholic dark chocolate aroma. I cannot wait to start brewing this coffee for this review!
Chewing on a bean gives off a salty sensation before the bean gives off a sweet, candy-like fruity flavour in a mix of all those aroma’s that I stated above. Lets brew!
The tasting.
I have brewed this coffee on the Aeropress, V60 and Clever Dripper. My favourite was the V60 although with this coffee, you could even brew it in your washing machine and it would still be awesome. Oh, did I give away a spoiler here?
When brewing the coffee a soft lavender aroma mixes with chocolate and a myriad of fruits: raspberry, strawberry and blueberry all caress the nose. When the brewing is done and you swirl the coffee round in a pitcher, the aroma’s will develop even more and a floral note (violet, soft tulip) will make its appearance together with a subtle lemon aroma. The warm alcoholic sensation is there, but in no way dominant at all. Just the way I like it.
When you take a sip and slurp oxygen inside, the fruit bomb will explode in your mouth. I am talking about a sugared Earl Grey tea that carries Lemon, chocolate, caramel and red apple. when the coffee cools off a little, the other berrie fruits appear again, making this coffee a complete mix. Blueberry, Strawberry, Raspberry, soft plum and raisins…they are all there and mixed just perfectly.
The red apple translates into your mouthfeel and acidity, while the silky texture and juicy character of the coffee makes you want to drink it at once. But wait; when the coffee is cooled down enough, the aftertaste brings out milky chocolate, hazelnut and praline to the table. Did I really only buy one (!) package?!?
The verdict.
Neira Cafe Lab has made 2023 into a little party already with roasting the La Margarita. La Margarita is pretty much all I’m looking for in a coffee; fruity, chocolaty, balanced, round, complete, lovely…
When a coffee like this is roasted into perfection, all credits go to the roaster: Harry.
If you read this and live in Lima; go and buy it all before it’s gone.