caramel, dark chocolate, citrus, marzapán, basil, rosemary

This selection comes from a farm called Santa Catarina, a 70-acre estate (only 12 acres of which are coffee) owned and managed by Sebastião Alexandre da Silva, located near Pedralva, just southwest of the town of Carmo de Minas. Da Silva delivers his coffee cherries to the nearby Pedra Branca mill, where the ripe fruit is processed under the skilled care of workers. Carmo de Minas and Pedralva are located in the Serra da Mantiqueira mountain range, whose peaks stretch from São Paulo to Rio de Janeiro.

process

This coffee has been washed and floated to remove damaged and less dense beans, then they are sealed in airtight barrels to macerate for 24 hours before the drying process begins. After a day of express maceration, the cherry pits are gently dried on raised beds to reduce the moisture content to 11%, then carefully stored until export.

profile

The citric acidity of the latter adds a surprising element in the mouth. It will undoubtedly remind you of the orange ice creams of sweet childhood. Buttery and velvety on the palate and clean on the finish, the Santa Catarina de Minas Gerais offers some subtle reminders of its Brazilian origins. This exotic cascade presents sweet and crunchy notes of marzapán, the delicacy of white tea and freshness with its notes of rosemary and fresh basil.

image: a coffee leaf. (meb), from © science photo library limited