BEHIND THE BEAN
Behind the bean
This coffee comes from Sul de Minas, a hilly area in southern Minas Gerais. The region is known for its balanced, nuanced flavours and its careful grading.
The NY 2 grade is the highest rating on the New York exchange's defect scale. Screen 17/18 shows that the beans are among the largest in the country, and Strictly Soft, Fine Cup describes the cup's smooth, even character without defects.
The coffee is naturally processed – dried in the sun with the cherry skin intact – a method used for most of Brazil's Arabica.
THE BEANS' PROFILE
In southern Colombia, where three mountain ranges meet, lies Popayán, the capital of the Cauca region. The area is called the Meseta de Popayán – a high plateau with a stable climate, volcanic soil and proximity to the equator. Together these factors create a unique microclimate that favours complex, elegant coffees.
The coffee is grown by the ACEC cooperative, which brings together around 500 small-scale producers – many of them women. The farms are small, often under 1.5 hectares, but the growers get support with everything from raising quality to organic certification. The result is a coffee with lively acidity, sweetness and a soft texture – grown with care from plant to cup.
THE BEANS' PROFILE
This coffee is grown at 1,350–2,000 metres, which earns it the classification Strictly Hard Bean (SHB) – a quality designation for coffee that grows slowly at high altitude and therefore develops denser, more flavourful beans.
The combination of intense sun, cold winds and humid nights creates a microclimate that favours complex, fruity and citrus-like aromas. This particular lot – Las Amapolas – comes from one of Guatemala's most remote and untouched coffee areas, and is an example of the elegance that makes Huehuetenango coffee one of the most sought-after in the world.
THE BEANS' PROFILE
This harvest comes from Aleta Wondo and Bensa, two areas in the Sidamo region, known for their altitude, misty valleys and biodiversity. The coffee is grown by smallholders in natural ecosystems, where the trees grow in shade alongside crops such as ensete, the local “false banana”. This supports both food security and rich flavour in the beans.
The cherries are hand-picked and processed within 24 hours at local washing stations – including the Daye Bensa Washing Station – where they are sun-dried on raised beds. The result is a coffee with deep, distinctive character.
Aleta Wondo has notes of armagnac, marzipan and forest berries, while Bensa offers notes of hazelnut, cocoa butter and lemon. A cupping score of 85+, together with a high share of peaberries, places this coffee in the premium class of Ethiopian specialty coffee.