Notes: Blackberry, nectarine and panela
Origin: La Paz
Producer: Hernando Machaca
Altitude: 1550 masl
Variety: Red Catuai
Process: Washed
Information:
This coffee comes from Hernando Machaca’s farm, located deep in the Yungas, a lush transitional zone descending from the Andes where coffee cultivation has been part of the local fabric for generations. The farm sits at an elevation shaped by extreme Andean terrain and rich water sources, both of which leave their mark on the cup. Despite the structural challenges facing Bolivian smallholders ie.a landlocked country, difficult mountain logistics, and a market historically dominated by larger buyers, Hernando has maintained an uncompromising approach to quality and traditional farming methods. Bolivia remains one of specialty coffee’s quieter discoveries. Production peaked in the 1990s before declining sharply, but a new generation of producers and educators is driving a genuine revival.
The variety is Red Catuai, which is a cross of Caturra and Mundo Novo developed in Brazil in 1972, compact, productive, and well-suited to high-altitude growing conditions. The cherries are hand-harvested between June and October, then processed on-farm in the washed tradition: sorted, depulped , fermented, and dried over approximately two weeks.
