How’s it going? Hope the coffee is flowing! This week, I’m brewing El Viajero Coffee’s Decaf and sharing why it’s one of my favorite coffee bag designs. I’ll also provide tasting notes and my preferred brewing method.
The Roaster
El Viajero Coffee was founded by David Iannone, a United States Army veteran, and his wife, Adriana. They offer specialty coffee that, at this time, is sourced exclusively from Colombia. The company was founded with the mission of showcasing the incredible coffee Colombia has to offer while building long-term relationships with farmers to help promote the longevity of their farms and keep them within the families that own them. This mission is especially meaningful to Adriana, who was born in Colombia.
David and Adriana purchase their beans directly from the farmers, which benefits the farmers greatly. El Viajero pays above-market prices for their beans and reduces the risks farmers face when relying on cooperatives or other intermediaries to bring their beans to market. This mission was driven by a visit to Colombia in which David and Adriana spent time with coffee farmers and witnessed the great pride these farmers take in their products, along with the struggles that they face.
As you may recall, I really enjoyed the bag of Taza de Oro I picked up at the 2024 Pennsylvania Chocolate and Coffee Festival. I also thoroughly enjoyed their La Maria Natural so let’s see if their decaf has as much flavor as their caffeinated offerings.
When rating coffee I follow the same method of brewing each time. Find out about how I prepare French Press coffee here.
El Viajero Decaf Review:
Characteristics and Flavor Profile
When ground El Viajero Decaf has a distinct fragrance of sweet cherry and chocolate.
| El Viajero Decaf | French Press | Pour-Over |
| Aroma | Sweet fruity cherry notes | Sweet chocolatey notes |
| Body | Medium body, good weight | Medium body, good mouthfeel especially for a filtered coffee |
| Start | Mild stone fruit notes with a noticeable tartness | Bold notes of sweet dark cherry |
| Middle | Sweet milk chocolatey notes | Subtle notes of cacao with a touch of bitter to balance the sweet cherry come forward |
| Finish | Citrusy finish, good balance of sweet and tart lemon-like notes | A fantastic balance of chocolate and cherry, giving an almost chocolate-covered cherry–like finish |
Overall Thoughts
Overall, this is a really good decaf offering that’s easy to drink with enjoyable, bold flavors. I found the flavors a bit reserved in my French press and slightly too tart, but it truly shines as a pour-over. My Chemex brewed a smooth, flavorful cup with bold tasting notes. The coffee has a distinct fruitiness, yet most coffee drinkers, even casual ones, would likely enjoy it when brewed with a pour-over. A pleasant sweetness and subtle chocolate notes help keep the flavor profile balanced without becoming overly complex.
As you may have noticed by now, I preferred this coffee when brewed with a pour-over as it was a smoother and more flavorful cup.
As an added bonus, the bag features a sloth, my favorite animal! Making it one of my all time favorite bag designs.
Where to Purchase
You can order this fantastic decaf on the El Viajero website. At a price point of $18.95 per pound it is a great value for the quality of coffee you receive. If you decide to try El Viajeros’s decaf or other coffee use the code COASTERSNCOFFEE10 to get 10% off your entire order.
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