This coffee has a complexity and unique character that we’ve come to expect from high quality lots from this region. Notes like quince, candied citrus and an elegant florality are backed up with a rich, brown sugar sweetness.

CULTIVAR: Caturra & Bourbon
LOCATION: La Palma, Chirinos, Cajamarca

Jaime and his family’s farm covers 2-3 hectares of land in La Palma, a lush green area which borders with the Montaña forest reserve. This area has amazing soil with lots of organic matter and a great microclimate which results in a unique regional profile that we fell in love with. The high altitude also means that the cherry fermentation times are quite long which adds fruit flavour and complexity.

This is the second lot we bought through auction at the Chrinos quality competition in Peru. It didn’t achieve the price which it was expected to outside of the auction, so we offered Jaime a premium which brought the price in line with what would normally be achievable for a lot of this quality. The unfortunate reality of many quality competitions like this one are that the exorbitant prices which the top lots may achieve can give some producers unrealistic expectations, whilst some other lots often receive less than their market value which can be incredibly demotivating for the producers.

Jaime Cotrina, Chirinos Competition Lot

Roast, taste, repeat - tireless in the pursuit of coffees with exceptional character.

PLOT Roasting

icon 3 Rocosa Montana Gesha

This incredible coffee has a flavour profile more akin to Ethiopia than Peru. Loads of complexity and brimming with stone fruit flavours like apricot and peach with floral notes of jasmine and honeysuckle.

CULTIVAR: Bourbon
LOCATION: Santa Yamilet, Alto Inambari, Puno

This outstanding coffee won 1st place in the 2020 Atipanaku quality competition, open to producers across the country. The lot comes from Laura Nilva Paye, whose family run farm is situated in the Puno department in the south east.

Around half of their two hectare farm is planted with coffee and the rest is used to cultivate beans, pumpkins and rocoto, a very fiery pepper indigenous to Peru.

Santa Yamilet is named after the first daughter of Laura and her husband Genaro. The family have been growing coffee for seven years and have been focussed on specialty production since 2015, utilising organic production techniques and taking extra care over post-harvest processing.

Only fully ripe cherries are harvested and then depulped the same day. The coffee is then fermented, using their traditional method, for between 20-24 hours depending on the environmental conditions. After fermentation, the coffee is washed and then dried under shade for 14-18 days.

Peru Laura Nilva Paye

Graciela Espinoza

This elegant and super juicy coffee has vibrant notes of pink grapefruit, balanced with a florality like elderflowers and a sweetness reminiscent of sugarcane.

CULTIVAR: Pink Bourbon
LOCATION: Finca Eucaliptos, Pitalito, Huila

Finca Eucaliptos, which takes its name from the fragrant trees planted around the farm, is home to Andrea Cortes and her parents Edgar and Luz. Andrea learned how to process coffee from her father, who was more focussed on traditional methods. Through concentrating on specialty coffee she has been able to increase the quality of the family farm’s production and has created a more profitable and sustainable business model.

Working together with her father, Andrea employs more experimental processing techniques than most producers in Pitalito. The fermentation protocols which they have designed, vary depending on the variety and the environmental conditions during processing. Only the fully ripe cherries are selectively harvested and rested in sealed bags for 24 hours before being de-pulped. The coffee is then put back into bags and fermented for an average of 60 hours. After fermentation has loosened the sticky mucilage, the coffee is washed and then dried over 18 days on covered parabolic patios.

Andrea Cortes Pink Bourbon

Mario Andres Andrade, Habitat Forest Sidra

La Serrania Decaf

This is a shining example of a carbonic maceration; clean and fruit forward without the funkiness you get from some. Loaded with forest fruits, raspberry and white grape juice.

CULTIVAR: Typica
PREPARATION: Carbonic Maceration, Washed
LOCATION: Finca la Senda, Acatenango

Comprised of Typica picked from Chualax, the farm which belongs to Maria Eugenia, Arnoldo’s wife. The whole cherries underwent a carbonic maceration for 4 days before being pulped and then macerated for a further 10-14 days, closely monitoring and controlling the pH and temperature. 

The Finca extends from the borders of the village up to mount Balàm, the hill of the Jaguar in native language and coffee is planted on the mountain side across roughly 27 acres, between 1,550 and 1,970 meters, allowing nature to take its own course at higher altitudes, respecting the unique biosphere. Good nutrition, volcanic soil (the “Volcan de Fuego” sits about 15 km from the farm) and a supportive climate provide for an ideal terroir, as confirmed by the consistent results of local farms at the Cup of Excellence competiton. In fact, La Senda placed 16th in the 2020 Cup of Excellence with some of this lot and we expect to see many more achievements in the coming years.

Guatemala Arnoldo Pérez

Connect Espresso

Archetype Espresso

This is a really distinctive coffee from an outstanding farm in Monte Santo de Minas. We taste tropical notes like passionfruit with a lemon curd sweetness and pecan nuts.

CULTIVAR: Bourbon, Mundo Novo
LOCATION: Fazenda Mió, Monte Santo de Minas

Ana was producing contemporary art exhibitions in Brazil before moving to London about three years ago to look for jobs in the arts. Around that time her father asked her to do some research into the coffee industry in the UK and from there she developed a real passion for it. Realising the potential for their coffees on the international market, she has built the brand Mió, which translated from Portuguese means “best” or “dearest to my heart”. Their high quality processing, approach to sustainability and the technology-driven approach to traceability all make this farm really stand apart from their contemporaries.

In 1939 Ana’s grandfather Renato Ribeiro was born at Fazenda Cachoeirinha where his father was an immigrant worker for many years. The farm is now owned by his daughter Renata and her husband, Carlos.

Mió is a forward thinking and technology-driven coffee farm in Monte Santo de Minas which now spans a total of 1,589 hectares. A third of the land is used for coffee processing and milling facilities along with some pasture areas and plantations of Eucaliptos trees which are home to some lovely bees. The remaining land is equally divided between coffee trees and the native forest reserve which helps preserve the natural characteristics of the area. The abundant spring water on the estate supplies many others in their area and one of their responsibilities is to not only maintain the flow but to also improve the water quality.

Mio’s state of the art facilities ensure that they can provide an astonishing level of traceability for their entire crop each year. Each stage of the journey, from where the cherries were harvested, which trucks moved them, how and when they were processed, is tracked using satellite imagery. Not only does this technology provide an incredible level of detail but it also helps to improve the farmworkers’ quality of life, ensure an abundant harvest and guarantee the highest processing standards for the crop.

Ana Luiza Pellicer

Diego Samuel Bermudez has quickly become one of the most famous names in Colombian coffee and his lots are incredibly distinctive. For over a decade he and his family have been dedicated to experimenting and learning about high-end coffee production, developing some unique fermentation protocols which have earned them a reputation for being at the very forefront of coffee processing.

Diego was born in Bolivar, Cauca and works on their farm in the El Tambo municipality with his wife, two daughters and two brothers. Villa Esperanza - Paraiso sits between 1,700 and 1,950 masl and covers 27 hectares of land. The farms are planted with Castillo, Colombia, Caturra, Gesha and Pink Bourbon.

The family built their own lab on the farm to firstly understand about cupping and roasting so that they could properly assess the fermentation protocols which they began designing and experimenting with. Diego also achieved the CQI Level 2 Processing qualification which developed his understanding of how cup profiles could be affected by controlling the pH, temperature and the microorganisms present during fermentation. As well as meticulously controlled fermentation there is attention to detail in all of the critical processes during production, from selection through to drying, which are necessary to consistently produce lots of this calibre.

Diego has a strong focus on technology and with his business partner Wilton Renso Benitez, has founded Indestec who are at the vanguard of coffee processing equipment. The company has developed hi-tech drying appliances which aim to mitigate the changeable climatic conditions and recover evaporated water, allowing them to consistently replicate coffees of such high standards.

Diego Samuel Bermudez Pink Bourbon

This is our first Ethiopian coffee of the season and it’s a beauty! Sweet, ripe apricots with floral notes of violet and a juicy lime acidity. Exactly what you want from an Ethiopian natural.

Ana Sora is a 250 hectare farm situated at an incredible altitude range starting at 1,900 and stretching to 2,350 metres above sea level! Due to the elevation the coffees grown here mature slowly, allowing more time for the plant to develop and contributing to a really unique cup profile. The farm employs 22 permanent staff and 110 temporary staff during harvest season.

The farm and wet mill, owned by second-generation coffee farmer Israel Degfa, also processes cherry from the local smallholder farmers. Israel and his company Kerchanshe support the local community by offering quality based premiums, micro-finance and agronomic education.

Israel has also set up the Buna Qala Charity and a Smallholder Membership scheme that reinvests profits back into community projects and healthcare, education, agricultural and financial incentives.

Israel Degfa Ana Sora Natural

Fidel’s amazing quality Yellow Caturra placed 4th in the Cup of Excellence. This is a producer we know and love whose coffees are consistently outstanding. This competition lot has a really complex profile of blackcurrant, fresh berries, ripe peach, jasmine and a sparkling acidity.

PRODUCER: Fidel Huancas Huancas
CULTIVAR: Yellow Caturra
LOCATION: La Esperanza, San Ignacio, Cajamarca, Peru

This month’s ICON is a great example of how high scoring coffee isn’t confined to exotic varieties or super-controlled experimental fermentation. This washed Yellow Caturra placed 4th in the Cup of Excellence competition which is an amazing accolade, well deserved for a really special producer.

This lot is really close to our hearts here at PLOT, as we fell in love with both Fidel and his coffees when we visited Peru in 2019. Every time we came across one of his lots on a table of samples they really stood out for their incredible complex acidity, balance and distinctive cup profile. We jumped at the chance to travel out to La Esperanza to meet the man and his family and were totally enamoured. We’ve been buying his coffees every year since and can’t wait to visit again.

La Esperanza means ‘hope’ which reflects Fidel’s ambitions of becoming the best producer in the region. Fidel is the third generation of his family to produce coffee here and he inherited the farm from his father. Since then he has been gradually expanding into a further 1.5 hectares. Over the course of five years he replaced all of the old Catimor and Pache trees with Caturra, which thrives in the environmental conditions on his farm and offers both a high quality cup profile and good yield.

Fidel manages his farm with total focus on implementing best practices advised by the exporting companies he sells his coffee to. His dedication and attention to detail in every aspect of farm management and processing are what really set him apart and this really comes across in the exceptionally clean and balanced coffees he produces.

This particular lot came 4th overall in the Cup of Excellence quality competition which was open to producers across the whole of Peru. This is a massive achievement and winning lots are auctioned for sums of money which can be life changing for many producers.

The Cup of Excellence program dates back to the first “Best of Brazil” competition in 1999 and has over the years expanded to a present total of 13 producing countries, most recently Ethiopia which celebrated its first competition in 2020. The aim of the competitions and auctions are to set the standard for the increased premiums that farmers are able to receive for their exemplary coffees and to build a much more transparent infrastructure, giving farmers the tools needed to improve the economic model of their farms. It also provides an incentive to experiment with varieties and processing techniques knowing there can be recognition and financial reward for their hard work and effort.

Icon 06, Fidel Huancas Cup of Escellence Lot

Ana was producing contemporary art exhibitions in Brazil before moving to London about three years ago to look for jobs in the arts. Around that time her father asked her to do some research into the coffee industry in the UK and from there she developed a real passion for it. Realising the potential for their coffees on the international market, she has built the brand Mió, which translated from Portuguese means “best” or “dearest to my heart”. Their high quality processing, approach to sustainability and the technology-driven approach to traceability all make this farm really stand apart from their contemporaries.

Mió estate is in Monte Santo, a city that has a strong Carnaval tradition that dates back to 1930. Each year the main streets close and two rival groups, Braz and Belém, battle it out in parades.

Mió is a forward thinking and technology-driven coffee farm in Monte Santo de Minas which now spans a total of 1,589 hectares. A third of the land is used for coffee processing and milling facilities along with some pasture areas and plantations of Eucaliptos trees which are home to some lovely bees. The remaining land is equally divided between coffee trees and the native forest reserve which helps preserve the natural characteristics of the area. The abundant spring water on the estate supplies many others in their area and one of their responsibilities is to not only maintain the flow but to also improve the water quality.

Mio’s state of the art facilities ensure that they can provide an astonishing level of traceability for their entire crop each year. Each stage of the journey, from where the cherries were harvested, which trucks moved them, how and when they were processed, is tracked using satellite imagery. Not only does this technology provide an incredible level of detail but it also helps to improve the farmworkers’ quality of life, ensure an abundant harvest and guarantee the highest processing standards for the crop.

Ana Luiza Pellicer, Mio 1930 Micro-Lot

Rafael’s farm is located in the Timiná region of Huila in the south of Colombia. Back in 2015, Rafael realised that in order to achieve higher premiums for his coffee he needed to offer something different. He started experimenting with long fermentation, washed micro-lots and has mastered the process over the years. He developed a system of standardising his fermentations by tasting the fruit at various stages. He discovered that the flavour sweet spot was reminiscent of overripe oranges after which it transitioned into passionfruit notes.

This lot was picked following strict ripeness criteria before being both floated and then hand sorted to remove any under or overripe cherries. The coffee was then placed in GrainPro bags and left to ferment without water for 100 hours at 20 degrees Celcius. The CO2 produced during fermentation pushes the lighter oxygen out of the fermentation environment, creating the perfect conditions for the production of lactic acid which is responsible for enhancing fruity notes in the coffee. After fermentation, the cherries were pulped, washed and then dried on raised beds until they reached their target humidity.

Rafael Amaya, Lactic Washed Micro-Lot

Our second coffee this year from Israel and his company Kerchanshe who own a variety of mills, washing stations and private farms across the coffee producing regions of Ethiopia. Part of the profit from their coffees is reinvested in the Ethiopian coffee community. The work of Kerchanshe stretches far beyond coffee, too. Israel has set up the Buna Qala Charity and a smallholder membership scheme that reinvests profits back into community projects and healthcare, education, agricultural and financial incentives.

This coffee is produced in the Woreda of Hambella Wamenna in the Guji region. The washing station employs 33 permanent members of staff with around 350 seasonal workers joining the team during harvest season. This lot is comprised of coffees collected from 361 local smallholders. The contributing farmers are all registered and a part of the Kerchanshe support network set up by Israel.

The high altitudes in this growing region allow the cherries to mature slowly, resulting in denser coffee seeds with sparkling acidity and a complex cup profile.

Israel Degfa, Dimtu Hambella

Peña Colorado

Maria Eugenia Escobar Guatemala

Icon 12 Ja'adi Peaberry Yemen

Explorer for FCB Black Condor

Our exclusive collaborative project in which lots are carefully selected by FCB. This release is a beautiful Rwandan bourbon with smooth buttery body.

PLOT Roasting

4.5

PLOT Roasting

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Served in Coffee Shops

Coffee Roasts

Ana Luiza Pellicer, Mio 1930 Micro-Lot

Archetype Espresso

Connect Espresso

Explorer Bwenda 156 Rwanda for FCB

Explorer for FCB Black Condor

Icon 12 Ja'adi Peaberry Yemen

Israel Degfa, Dimtu Hambella

La Serrania Decaf

Maria Eugenia Escobar Guatemala

Peña Colorado

Rafael Amaya, Lactic Washed Micro-Lot

Coffee archive

Ana Luiza Pellicer

Andrea Cortes Pink Bourbon

Diego Samuel Bermudez Pink Bourbon

Graciela Espinoza

Guatemala Arnoldo Pérez

Icon 06, Fidel Huancas Cup of Escellence Lot

Israel Degfa Ana Sora Natural

Jaime Cotrina, Chirinos Competition Lot

Mario Andres Andrade, Habitat Forest Sidra

Peru Laura Nilva Paye

icon 3 Rocosa Montana Gesha

New Coffee Review