Early this month was the anniversary day at the coffee shop in Baarn; Boot Koffie exists 50 years! 50 years ago it was already extremely unique to start a business in coffee that puts quality and the farmer's life first. The anniversary was celebrated grandly with various activities, such as (coffee) bag races and a coffee roasting demonstration (what a wonderful smell!). With Barend's coffee song still in the back of my mind, I drink my double espresso from the Panama Birdsong. "Smell the bush, taste different," the lyrics read. Taste different, but how "different" is the question.

The Panama Birdsong is a good example of getting to know coffee in a different way. The overwhelming sweetness characterizes this coffee, with flavor notes of forest fruits and milk chocolate. This coffee makes you think what coffee can taste like. Not the intense and bitter experience of any "red brand" at my grandmother's house, but a fine smooth and sweet coffee that almost feels like dessert.

We owe the high quality of this coffee to the efforts of the Hartmann family on their plantation in Panama. Full of passion and commitment, the family has been cultivating their coffee for generations, as a result of which the coffee has won several awards. The plantation is intertwined with nature, and by respecting the flora and fauna, birds, among others, feel very much at home. Birdsong therefore gets its name from the many bird species that nest on the plantation.

Don't drink your cup of coffee for the daily caffeine kick, but dwell on the taste experience and the passion of the farmer. Enjoy all that coffee has to offer, taste differently.

Stefan Heuvelmans
Barista