Mokaflor Hawaii Kona

HAWAII KONA Mokaflor

250g bag of whole beans

The year was 1828: a man named Samuel Ruggles brought the first Arabica beans from Brazil to Hawaii on a journey overseas. Of course, no one knew at the time that this voyage would give rise to one of the best and most expensive coffees in the world. The people soon realised that the beans they had planted grew generously and, over the years, they began to cultivate coffee. The Western Pacific island chain offers ideal conditions for growing coffee plants. The Kona region, in the west of the country, is particularly noteworthy. It lies at the foot of the Mauna Loa and Hualālai volcanoes on the Big Island, the largest of the six main islands.

The islands were formed by a series of volcanic eruptions that continue to this day. Volcanism has strongly shaped the landscape but, more importantly, enriched it with large quantities of volcanic rocks and minerals. What's more, this part of the island enjoys a subtropical climate, with sunny, dry winters and rainy summers. In the morning, the sun shines brightly, while from midday onwards, the sky is generally cloudy and bathed in a light mist. These climatic conditions are ideal for growing coffee.

Kona coffee beans are grown in the western part of the Big Island coastline, known as the Kona Coffee Belt. This is a strip of land 30 kilometres long and 3 kilometres wide, characterised by steep slopes up to 800 metres high. The climate here is the most constant in the entire Hawaiian island chain. The shade and lower temperatures mean that the coffee beans grow much more slowly, giving them time to develop intense, complex aromas. The exceptional cultivation of these beans is part of the extremely strict and authorised quality control of Kona coffee. All the original Kona coffees from Hawaii are harvested here.

The Kona coffee beans are harvested from November to February. Just before the "snow falls". This is actually the magnificent "sea" of white flowers that covers the plantation in March and April, when the coffee berries/cherries bloom. Until September, the small coffee berries are formed and, at the end of their ripening phase, they take on a bright, intense red colour. This is harvest time. The beans are harvested and washed by hand. The skins are then removed and they are placed in the sun to dry. The next step is to sort the coffee beans into different categories according to shape and size.

The beans destined for Mokaflor come from the Paradise Meadows plantation. This farm is owned by Scott Buske, whose decades of experience in coffee growing have produced some of the finest coffee in Hawaii. Transparency is extremely important to Mokaflor, especially when it comes to such a refined coffee. Kona is also known as Hawaii's 'brown gold' and almost regularly wins first place in international coffee competitions. This proves that this single-origin espresso not only has a special history, but also a very special taste.

As already mentioned, these beans have a very long maturation phase, which gives them unique nuances and aromatic notes. A refined composition of cinnamon, nuts and fruits such as pineapple and white peach is characteristic of Hawaii Kona.

Although the beans are 100% Arabica, the acid composition is rather moderate, also due to the gentle roasting. The interaction of the different aromas is much more dominant. When you taste it, you have the impression of savouring a finely spiced fruit salad. With a caffeine content of 1.33%, Hawaii Kona is not too strong, making it perfect for any time of day.

Our recommendation:

Taste Hawaii Kona neat first, as a single espresso, to fully appreciate its characteristics. Depending on how you prepare it, you'll notice a variety of aromas and flavours.

Then you can experiment. Mix a portion of Hawaii Kona with another range, your favourite espresso for example, and create something completely new.