Hola Bolivia!

Published 28 Feb 2023

Get excited! We’ve just added this year’s Bolivian line up to our offer list, ahead of their arrival in mid-April. Sourced via long-time partners, the Rodríguez family of Agricafe Bolivia, this year’s shipment is made up of exceptional coffees from the family’s own farms and from members of the Sol de la Mañana mentorship program. With the container currently on the water, we recently caught up with Daniela Rodriguez to learn more about this year’s harvest and what to expect from the lots themselves.

We love the sweetness and clarity Bolivian coffees typically present, the result of the slow cherry maturation that occurs in the country’s highly elevated growing regions, and the meticulous processing practices utilised by the Rodríguez family. This year’s selection includes sugary sweet and elegant washed Caturra lots from Fincas Los Rodríguez and Sol de la Manana (SDM) producers, and a handful of specially processed and rare variety nano-lots that showcase the most meticulous and progressive approach to production and fermentation techniques. Volumes are extremely limited, so get in touch now to request samples (where available) or reserve your preferences!

This year’s season was unusually challenging, with an extended rainy season that resulted in delayed or sporadic flowering and many cherries splitting before they fully ripened. This led to lower-than-expected yields in the Caranavi region, where Agricafé operates eight of the Los Rodríguez farms and its Buena Vista mill, and where the SDM smallholders live and farm.

Conversely, the rains benefited the much drier region of Samaipata, leading to its first bumper crop since the Rodriguez planted here in 2012. As Daniela reported “It was the first time we were able to really experience Samaipata’s full potential!”

Despite lower volumes, the wetter conditions allowed for greater intensity of flavour to develop in the coffee cherries that survived, leading to high quality overall. To maximise this quality, the Rodriguez family decided to include an anaerobic fermentation step in the processing of all their washed lots from both regions, including for the SDM producers who chose to deliver cherry to Buena Vista due to the season’s difficult conditions (rather than processing on their own farms). Whilst incredibly labour-intensive, this additional step enhances the coffees’ natural acidity, and resulted in even greater transparency in the cup for this season’s lots.

Daniela emphasised how their learnings from the recent Private Collection Auction (PCA) they organised with Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE) were applied to their rare variety and specially prepared nano-lots. “We now have a bioreactor that was used to process the tiny lots that were part of the PCA,” she explained. “This is a small tank that can be heated and cooled… that we experimented with this year. We were able to see what each variable did, and with those results, replicated them in a larger vessel.” 

This is part of a long-term strategy to elevate their processing methods, to achieve the greatest distinction and diversity in their special lots. “We’re keeping a registry of all the data we’re compiling, to use in the coming seasons,” Daniela shared. “It includes information on the types of tanks used, bacteria and yeast activity, ambient temperature and weather conditions… we’re working hard to identify the ideal processing conditions for each variety and farm.”

The result is a wide array of nano-lots that are simply exquisite, with each region and variety’s characteristics shining brightly on the cupping table. Daniela noted this was an imperative in the family’s plan: “We really wanted to show the diversity of Bolivian coffee – that has been really important for us this year! I think everything from Samaipata tastes very, very sweet, with a creamy texture and more of a tropical and stone fruit acidity. Caranavi is more floral and delicate, with a citric acidity.”

We’re thrilled to share this year’s Bolivian offerings! It’s an incredibly special set of coffees, intended to showcase the full potential of this unique producing region. Learn more about our Bolivian sourcing program here, or get in touch anytime to chat with our team.