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Los Rodriguez – Caturra

Microlot

Los Rodrugiez, Santa Cruz, Bolivia – Coco Natural Caturra

– “An exquisite experimental micro-lot of  the Caturra varietal, crafted by our dear friends, the Rodriguez family, in the highlands of Samaipata”.

What to expect in the cup

Blackberry, pomegranate, golden kiwi. Remarkably sweet, showcasing a rich and musky character, vibrant mouthfeel, along with hints of plum wine.

£14.00£56.00

This marks our third year purchasing this 100% Caturra lot sourced from a relatively new farm known as Finca La Llama. Established in 2017, this farm has a modest production yet offers exceptional quality. Spanning ten hectares, it is situated in the Villa Rosario settlement, nestled in a verdant, steep mountain valley near Caranavi. The Rodriguez family, who also operate Agricafe—a business that cultivates coffee on their own farms and procures quality micro-lots from small producers in the Yungas region—owns La Llama. During the harvest, Pedro employs pickers from the Villa Rosario community to meticulously handpick the coffee. These workers are trained to select only the ripest cherries, with multiple passes through the farm to ensure optimal picking. This selective harvesting is crucial, especially for naturally processed lots like this, to achieve a sweet and clean cup. The Rodriguez family has determined that the ripest cherries, which are nearly purple, yield the finest cup. After harvesting and weighing, the coffee undergoes careful washing and is spread out to dry on raised African beds, being turned every hour. Following approximately one week on the raised beds, the coffee is transferred to a coco dryer to ensure slow and consistent drying. It remains in large steel vats for about 35 hours at temperatures not exceeding 40˚C, with turning every 30 minutes. Once dried, the coffee is transported to La Paz for resting and subsequently milled at Agricafe’s advanced dry mill, La Luna, where it is meticulously hulled and sorted using both machinery and careful hand sorting under UV and natural light.
The Rodriguez family’s methodology in coffee production has been characterised by a systematic, innovative, and scientific approach. Over the past ten years, Rodriguez has dedicated himself to enhancing production and broadening the market for Bolivian specialty coffee, assisting numerous local farmers in recognizing and harnessing the potential of their land and crops. Pedro initiated his coffee journey by collaborating with small producers in Caranavi, establishing a wet mill for coffee processing, and educating farmers on the selective handpicking of cherries. He also began processing small micro-lots from each producer, and due to the unique blend of heirloom varieties, fertile soil, and exceptionally high altitudes, the outcomes were remarkable. Nevertheless, despite gaining international acclaim for its quality, Bolivia’s coffee production experienced a rapid decline over a short timeframe for various reasons. Some farmers transitioned to coca cultivation—illegal in Caranavi and intended for the drug trade—due to its lucrative year-round income. For those who remained in coffee, yields diminished as a result of aging plantations, rudimentary farming practices, and leaf rust. These factors collectively led to a reduction of more than fifty percent in the nation’s coffee production. In 2012, as leaf rust began to devastate production on many small farms, Pedro and his family decided to invest in their own plantations, concerned that coffee production in Bolivia might vanish entirely. They understood that this investment was essential to ensure a minimum supply level and secure the future sustainability of their business. They purchased land in Caranavi, adjacent to their Buena Vista mill, and established their first farm, Finca La Linda. ‘This is where the dream began,’ Pedro states. Throughout this journey, they sought guidance from leading specialty coffee agronomists worldwide to help them cultivate exceptional coffee and develop sustainable, healthy farms. A diverse array of varieties has been tested, alongside various agricultural methods to enhance quality and yield. They have meticulously recorded their observations throughout the process and persist in their efforts to innovate and invest in advancements to achieve the highest quality coffee possible.