The selection of green coffee

The selection of plantations was made by la Tosteria over the years and following a visit to Jamaica during which the geographical layout, cultivation and harvesting methods, and processing techniques of some of the best plantations were verified.
Samples of the batch of coffee produced annually is sent to la Tosteria by these selected producers or traders representing them (authorized and controlled by the C.I.B.) by express carrier, in small 200-250 gram envelopes.
The selection of coffee lots is followed with special care by the Roastery; this is the most important time from the roaster's point of view, during which the coffee that will be sold to customers throughout the year is chosen. Jamaican coffee, like all coffees, is an agricultural product whose quality is affected by climatic variations, since microclimates exist within the Blue Mountains such that the quality of the coffee varies slightly from year to year, which is why it is necessary to test coffees from different plantations annually, in search of the best coffee.  

Tasters' experience

The experience of the tasters who carry out the tests is relevant to the selection of the batches; la Tosteria's team of tasters consists of Fabio and Fabrizio Neri (owners of la Tosteria) and Andrea Guerra (quality and training manager, international tasters whose professional qualification is recognized by I.I.A.C. (International Institute of Coffee Tasters); Fabio and Fabrizio Neri also work daily in la Tosteria selecting batches from more than 16 countries.

The roasting of samples

Roasting of the samples takes place with a miniature roasting machine from the German company Probat, specially created for this function, i.e., capable of roasting 200-250-gram samples with the same characteristics as larger equipment (temperature, roasting time, heat yield).
The maturation of the samples takes place over the next 6-9 days, during which the coffee aromas reach perfect maturity; after this necessary waiting period, the tastings are carried out.

The tasting card

The tasting form involves the careful analysis of the visual, olfactory, taste and aftertaste aspects, evaluating more than 24 different factors; the sum of the resulting votes determines the ranking of the various batches, of which the best is purchased in the quantities sufficient to guarantee annual requirements.