LOS RODRIGUEZ - Releasing 16th April

Best suited as: Black espresso, Milk based espresso beverages or Black filter

Flavour Description: Silky Body, Lemon Verbena, Honeydew Melon, Dark Chocolate,

Producer: The Rodriguez Family
Origin: Finca La Llama, Caranavi, Bolivia
Variety: Java
Process: Pink Honey
Importer: Conscious 

About This Coffee

Finca La Llama is a Bolivian coffee farm, owned by the Rodriguez family. It sits in Villa Rosario, near the famous growing region Caranavi in Bolivia, nestled at 1650 MASL, making it the highest farm under the Los Rodriguez ownership. 

The farm is neatly positioned amongst thick forests with fresh mountain spring water passing through nearby streams. The high altitude in addition to the mineral-rich soil, plus cool nights make for the perfect coffee producing microclimate, leading to a slower maturation of the coffee cherries and higher prix, resulting in more sweetness and complex acidity than other growing regions. The steep winding roads leading up to the farms can only be accessed by 4x4 vehicles.

This single-estate microlot embodies their unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation. Established in 2012 by Pedro and his children, Daniela and Pedro Pablo, the farm is nestled on the western slopes of the Andes Mountains. The rich Bolivian soil, cool mountain air and moderate shelter provide the perfect terroir for Java cultivation. The Rodriguez family not only produces exceptionally sweet and vibrant coffees but also serves as a beacon of meticulous farming practices for local producers.

Though Pedro's journey in the coffee industry began in 1986 as a coffee trader, it was not until 2012 that the family ventured into establishing their own small farms, now numbering 12, under the banner of Fincas Los Rodriguez. Our firsthand visit to the Rodriguez family last September offered insight into their finely tuned operations, from meticulously organized farms to cutting-edge wet and dry mills. Every facet of their enterprise, from pristine nurseries to rigorous cupping and grading in their impressive coffee lab, adheres to the highest standards. Collaborating with an oenologist, they continuously refine their fermentation processes.

Pedro and his children are steadfast in their mission to elevate Bolivian coffee, exemplified by initiatives such as the Sol de la Mañana Project, which imparts knowledge on optimal farming techiques to accentuate its fruity and intense flavour profile while mitigating risks of over-fermentation, mold, or other defects.

The meticulous production process commences with selective harvesting of only perfectly ripe cherries, followed by a thorough washing process to rid them of impurities. Subsequently, the cherries are carefully laid on raised beds for a controlled, slow-drying period of approximately 14 days. Once the coffee achieves the desired moisture level, it undergoes milling and grading at the Rodriguez family's dry mill, ensuring unwavering quality throughout.

Bolivia has some of the most unique growing conditions that the world has to offer. With the southern part of the country home to the Altiplano region of the Atacama desert and the famous Bolivian Salt Flats. Meanwhile, the northern part of the country sits in the Amazon rainforest, making it one of the only countries to sit both in a rainforest and a desert, cleaved in two by the Andes Mountain range. Bolivia has no border with the sea, making it one of only two landlocked countries in South America (The other is Paraguay)

La Llama is operated by local workers, in addition to the Rodriguez family - with the farm employing up to 200 seasonal workers during peak harvest season. The farm itself produces coffee from many different varieties, including many high value cultivar like Geisha, Caturra, SL-28, SL-34, Ethiosar and Java. 

This particular Java was sourced for us in mind by Conscious - only two such sacks exist. We have one, they have the other - making this a very exclusive experience. This is our second year in a row working with the Rodriguez family, and the second such Java we have bought from them!

What is a Pink Honey Process?

The pink honey process is a coffee fermentation method that enhances sweetness and fruit-forward flavour characteristics of the coffee. It involves anaerobically fermenting whole coffee cherries, allowing anthocyanidin, a pigment most commonly found in fruits like blueberries, to tint the mucilage a unique shade of pink. After fermentation, the skin is removed, and the beans are dried with the sticky mucilage still attached, similar to other honey processes. The result is a huge, silky body and crazy sweetness. 

See our cupping report on this coffee here!