So another day another new coffee. This time of year is the busiest for new coffees coming in with our mixed container from Brazil supplying us with lots of unique coffees, this being one of them. Its also an incredibly unique cup profile.

This is part of our direct trade agreement in Bahia, Brazil this year and is a brand new coffee for us. Its also bio dynamic coffee for those who care, but I know all of you will care that its really tasty.

This is the farm that I stayed on during my stay in Bahia for the whole week in 2010 (and the previous year) with Luca Allegro. Luca was a great host, we ate, drank and had a wonderful time, chatting until the early hours. Luca lives in Salvador and the farmhouse is a wood cabin that the family go to at weekends, and during harvest Luca lives in. The rest of the time the farm is managed and looked after by Nelson Ribeiro from Fazenda Floresta which is the neighbour and very very close friend. They work as a double act, Luca finds the buyers looks after the export, deals with all the paper work, Nelson does what he is amazing at, processing milling and bagging the coffee. I’ve said before that Nelson is one of the best natural processors I have ever come across, but this shows he has a talent for washed too. So much so I encouraged him and Luca to look at entering this in next years cup of excellence, I think it would do very very well.

The farm has been in Luca’s family for many generations, but had become run down until, still producing but not very productive. But around 4-5 years ago Luca decided to focus on raising production and the quality of his coffee in tandom with Nelson. Luca has planted a whole heap of newvarietals, one of the most interesting is the Acauan, a new varietal to me that produces around 40% peaberry. But this lot is Catuai the prefered varietal of Chapada Diamantina, as it thrives with these conditions and this kind of altitude. The highest point I found on the farm was 1193 metres above sea level but Luca assured me there were some higher parts.

When I first approved this sample it was great, but I took a bit of a gamble that with three months rest (two in the warehouse and one on a container ship) it would develop into something very special. I am very pleased to say that it did, because it really has opened up into a super special coffee. The first thing that hits you is how clean it is, very transparent with subtle sweetness (that typical chocolate you get from lots of brazils) but the biggest component for me is the vanilla, like melted vanilla ice cream, with the slightest hint of apple with a great mouthfeel and creamy finish. A delicious coffee

Farm: Fazenda Aranquan
Farmer: Luca Allegro
City:Chapada Diamantina
Region: Bahia
Country: Brazil
Farm Size: Hectares
Coffee growing area: Hectares
Altitude: 1200masl
Varietal: Catuai
Processing System: Washed

You can but this coffee here

Its also this weeks in my mug that you can watch here