NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Devotees of the legendary illy blend and single-origin coffee enthusiasts now have something to share: illy MonoArabica™, the first-ever single origin coffees from the storied, Trieste, Italy-based coffee roaster. Each MonoArabica variety is a single origin coffee done only as illy can; each of the three coffee beans was selected for its role as a distinct component of illy’s signature, nine-bean blend of highest-quality Arabica coffee, responsibly cultivated and sourced from farms under the quality-centric, direct trade method pioneered by illy nearly 25 years ago.
The MonoArabica line features the highest-quality examples of Arabica coffee from three countries – Brazil, Guatemala and Ethiopia -- and each of the three offer incredibly different taste experiences as a result of these unique topographies and climates. Each MonoArabica single-origin coffee presents beautiful, rich, and nuanced tasting notes that sing of its region’s distinct flavor and culture:
- MonoArabica Brazil: intense and full-bodied. Located in Brazil’s lush state of Minas Gerais, the Cerrado Mineiro plateau is a tropical savanna known for its rich biodiversity – the ideal start for this complex Arabica coffee. Here, an enchanting landscape characterized by a tropical climate’s well-defined wet and dry seasons gives rise to MonoArabica Brazil’s intense aromas and full body, and provides an underlying note of decadent, dark chocolate.
- MonoArabica Guatemala: complex and medium bodied. Nothing else on earth compares to the conditions in Guatemala’s remote Huehuetenango Mountains, rising 6,500 feet above sea level, where warm winds from Mexico neutralize the high altitude and cultivate ideal growing conditions, in the shade of the Maya forest. The rare combination of altitude, warmth and shade conspire to produce coffee with a remarkably balanced sweetness. MonoArabica Guatemala is a medium-bodied surprise, offering a range of tastes and aromas spanning chocolate, caramel, honey and citrus.
- MonoArabica Ethiopia: delicate and aromatic. Legend has it that coffee’s reputation as fuel for the human mind has its origins in Ethiopia, perhaps the first place on earth where coffee grew spontaneously. Deep in the tropical forests, this coffee is shade grown and harvested by hand in the storied Yirgacheffe region, borne of rich, fertile soil. It all combines to produce Arabica coffee medium-bodied and kissed by gentle notes of jasmine, citrus and other bright-tasting fruits, delighting with a delicate, seductive taste.
Each MonoArabica variety is available at select finer retailers, including Sur La Table, Williams-Sonoma and Whole Foods, and on illy's website as whole bean coffee, ideal for all preparation methods, and in illy’s proprietary iperEspresso capsules.
“The idea behind MonoArabica is really twofold. First, we wanted to deliver a superior taste experience, entirely consistent with our company’s quality-driven mission – or, as we say, single origin as only illy can do,” said Andrea Illy, chairman and CEO of illycaffè S.p.A. “Furthermore, MonoArabica by its very nature is an opportunity to educate illy fans and newcomers on the very building blocks of our signature blend, which is enjoyed more than six million times every day around the world.”
Illy guarantees a profit on all coffee it purchases directly from farmers, reflecting and rewarding production to illy’s industry-leading quality standards. It is a model increasingly emulated today by specialty roasters, but none on a scale to which illy has achieved. Illy’s agronomists work directly with growers on their plantations to teach high-quality, low impact coffee production. The company’s protocols have been widely credited with advancing environmental, economic, and social conditions in coffee growing regions across four continents. In 2011, illy became the world’s first company to earn the Responsible Supply Chain Certification from the leading industrial standards arbiter Det Norske Veritas, supporting illy’s equitable treatment of supply partners and sustainable production practices against objective benchmarks.
About illycaffè:
The distinctive illy blend of the earth’s best Arabica coffees delights coffee lovers at more than 50,000 finer cafes, restaurants, coffee bars, hotels and retailers around the world every day. There is an illy roast, grind or format ideal for everyone’s favorite preparation method, from espresso, to drip coffee, French press and more. A third generation of Illy family members now at the helm, Trieste-based illycaffè pioneered some of coffee’s most important innovations, including the modern espresso machine and the world’s first single-serve espresso pods. Illy is the industry leader in responsible production, for two decades guaranteeing a profit on all coffee it purchases directly from farmers whose production meets illy’s high standards -- a model increasingly emulated by specialty roasters, none on a scale to which illy has achieved. The illy protocols have been widely credited with advancing environmental, economic and social conditions in coffee growing regions across four continents. In 2011, illy became the world’s first company to earn Det Norske Veritas’ Responsible Supply Chain Certification, verifying illy’s equitable treatment of supply partners and sustainable production practices against objective benchmarks. For more information, please visit www.illy.com