Coffee bears the invisible imprint of the hundreds of hands that have touched them on their journey from seedling to green bean. Like the making of fine wine, the handling of such rare and beautiful raw material requires the utmost care and appreciation. A coffee bean is 1/2 of the seed nestled in a cherry, born from a delicate jasmine like flower. The trees grow high in the mountains in tropical lands throughout the world. Each tree takes five years to produce. Over four thousand beans are required for a single pound of coffee. It is considered the most labor intensive commodity on earth. Specialty Coffee is distinguished by the quality of the raw material and the attention paid to the processing and roasting. Only these specialty-grade Arabicas are chosen by Coffee Bouquet. Growing The environment required is found only in select mountainous regions in the tropics- between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer. They demand high altitudes, 4,000 - 6,000 feet, to produce their stunning and concentrated flavors. The ideal growing conditions are volcanic soil and moderate rainfall and sunshine. Picking The cherries take around five months to ripen and do so at different rates. To ensure optimal flavor, they must be picked individually, by hand. After picking, the coffee cherries are processed by one of two methods: unwashed (dry) or washed (wet). This depends largely on the amount of fresh water available. This is one of the most important determinations of coffee flavor. Roasting True artisan roasting is achieved only when each coffee has been tasted thoughtfully and at a wide range of roasts, before the final decision is made. Sample roasts take place constantly throughout the roasting process to ensure the optimum character is achieved. The degree of roast applied should always be relative to the potential of the coffee being roasted. There are basically six roasts: Cinnamon - Medium – High City - Full City - French - Italian At the very light and dark ends of the spectrum, the flavors are simple; Cinnamon roast is grassy, green while Italian is charred with oiliness. Between these are a wide and exciting range of roasts and flavors. Blending An ideal cup of coffee should have good aroma, color, body, and tastes for whichever way the coffee will be roasted, brewed and served. Each coffee used in a blend should make its own contribution. The idea is to combine coffees that compliment each other, not necessarily those that are similar. Coffee Bouquet blends have been hand selected and cupped with careful consideration of the attributes of each choice.