Torrefacto

Torrefacto refers to a particular process of roasting coffee beans, common in Spain, France, Portugal, Mexico, Costa Rica, Uruguay and Argentina. The process involves adding a certain amount of sugar during roasting in order to glaze the beans. The glazed beans are then mixed with normal roasted beans. While originally a cheap way of preserving the coffee beans in the 1920s, a suggested reason for continued use of the technique has been maintenance of the aroma and taste of the coffee.