LIMITED EDITION 01:
LA CHORORA, EQUADOR
We’re absolutely overjoyed to announce the first is a series of experimental roasts LIMITED EDITION 01, a true connoisseur coffee experience that’s completely different to anything you've drunk ever before.
Our ‘La Chorora’ roast features some of the finest beans in Ecuador, hand roasted by our isolating artisans in England to bring out full flavours of intense fruit, cinnamon and cherry liqueur.
In a process almost unique to this coffee the whole cherries are fermented using a technique developed at French vineyards known as “Carbonic Maceration”. Find out more details on this below.
And whilst this may seem a strange time to launch what is, without doubt, our most expensive coffee ever, we like to think it’s a chance to treat yourself to the best coffee we’ve ever made in what is currently the most exclusive coffee shop in the world, your lounge.
LA CHORORA, EQUADOR is available to order online now £17.50 for 100g.
Tasting notes: Intense Fruit, Cinnamon, Cherry Liqueur
Altitude: 1500 - 1600masl
Variety: Sidra
Process: Carbonic Maceration – Natural
THE FARM:
Owned by two sisters, Diana and Olinka Velez, this finca is a very unique place. With stunning views towards the valley of Macara and Peru on the horizon, La Chorora is located on a steep hillside surrounded by primary cloud forest and crossed by the old ‘Inca Road’ that once connected Cuzco with Quito.
Diana describes their venture with coffee as a transformative way of life. Both sisters started planting coffee around the year 2000 after some big life changes, since then they’ve been drawn from the city into the land, investing a lot of effort, time and emotion into producing coffee. This land, as Diana and Olinka would describe it, is mystical and charged with good energy.
The farm is divided into two main parcels. Chorora which means ‘water well’ in Kichwa and Yambamine, which means ‘land of gold. In both parcels there are a total of 5 hectares of planted coffee.
The varietals produced here are Typica mejorado, Catuai, Rojo, Hybrid and Sidra. This latest variety comes directly from the ‘mother’ Sidra plant, being only the second generation of this varietal.
La Chorora is also a pioneer in experimenting with different processes like carbonic maceration and anaerobic fermentation in the country. Managed by Hernan Cabra, an expert in coffee processes, this farm has produced some unique profiles and has won the first two places in ‘Taza Dorada’ competition of 2019 with a record-breaking score in Ecuador.
Their coffees really speak for themselves.
CARBONIC MACERATION:
- The process starts by filling a stainless steel container full of whole coffee cherries and sealing it.
- The container is then flushed with carbon dioxide, pushing out all the oxygen.
- This now makes it an Anaerobic fermentation.
- The cherries start to absorb the carbon dioxide and the sugars start to break down.
- Other reactions take place that create the unique flavour profile of a coffee processed this way
- After the fermentation is complete the coffee is then processed either by the washed or natural method.
- This fermentation method creates a much more intense fruitier flavour profile such as cherry, strawberry or raspberry.