Kanava is a noble representative of Lehmus Roastery's lighter end. Kanava is characterized by a soft and velvety mouthfeel. The taste has caramel sweetness, and the acidity is fruity.
The coffee was launched in spring 2017 together with Pusupuisto. Kanava is roasted relatively light, meaning it practically lets the coffee beans' own aromas speak for themselves.
Coffee from La Esperanza plantations. Photo: Cafe Imports
The beans for the canal arrive from Colombia, more specifically from the La Esperanza farm in the Huila region.
The farm is located in southwestern Colombia, on the slopes of the Nevado De Huila volcano. The farm grows three varieties of Arabica, namely Caturra, Colombia and Castillo. These varieties represent a more nuanced and lighter aromatic taste compared to traditional South American varieties. The processing method is washed, meaning the coffee flavors are bright and clean.
There are 25,000 coffee trees (which grow in the shape of a bush) on the five-hectare farm. They grow at an altitude of 1,400-1,700 meters above sea level.
The beans are hand-picked as they ripen and processing begins the day they are picked. Coffees from the Huila region are characterized by fruitier aromas and stronger acidity than coffees from the more northern Colombian regions.
The Saimaa Canal is a special piece of great power politics and a rarity in the world
The label of the Kanava coffee package features an adventure on the Saimaa Canal. The lock gates have opened and the bridge has been raised, as a boat that strongly resembles a Venetian gondola moves towards the lock in a summery atmosphere.
In theory, such boating to the locks is possible, as all cargo and pleasure vessels are allowed to use the canal.
The Saimaa Canal is a significant connection route between Finland and Russia. The canal, which opened in 1856 and has been built and renovated three times in total, is a rarity in the world, as in peacetime a state has rarely leased its land to another independent state. This is what happened with the Saimaa Canal.
As we well remember, Vyborg has belonged to Finland or the Grand Duchy of Finland for centuries. After the wars of the 1940s, Vyborg remained behind the border, so the connection from Saimaa to the Gulf of Finland was cut off. In 1963, the canal was reopened when President Kekkonen negotiated the Canal lease agreement in order to get at least part of Karelia back. Russia agreed to lease only a small strip around the canal, and the same agreement has continued ever since. The agreement was renewed in 2012. Finland has a separate canal commissioner who handles matters related to the agreement.
Would it be possible to go to the locks by gondola? In theory, yes. In principle, you can go all the way to the world's oceans through the canal, just as the text on the back label promises. If you're really excited, you can row from the Gulf of Finland to the palm-lined sandy beaches of the Colombian port city of Cartagena.
The gondola must be seaworthy and have appropriate lights and markings to allow it to pass through the canal's lock gates.
It is also worth noting that as a tourist traveling, photography is prohibited in the border area and cameras must be kept inside "in their designated covers."
Kanava is best when hand-extracted, but also works as an espresso
Kanava coffee has a bright taste and fresh aromas. Kanava works well when brewed with a filter coffee maker, but we have also made light espresso from Kanava, which works well. When brewed with an Aeropress, we recommend using a double filter to keep the flavor bright, but the brewing method gives a little more body for those who like that kind of coffee flavor.
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You can purchase the channel from Lehmus Roastery's online store .