Monteblanco Coco, Filter - Colombia

Rodrigo Sanchez Valencia is a third-generation coffee producer at Finca Monteblanco. His grandfather started growing coffee here decades ago, and today, Rodrigo strives to preserve the farm's natural diversity and productivity. Finca Monteblanco is located near the Cueva de los Guacharos, one of Colombia's 59 protected parks. The Suaza River also flows nearby and provides the fresh water needed for cultivation and processing.

Rodrigo grows the caturra, geisha, pink bourbon and pacamara varieties. The high altitude and superb microclimate of Acevedo, create the ideal conditions for the cultivation of specialty coffee.

Rodrigo has selected for this batch the "purple caturra", a variety of caturra whose leaves and cherry colour differ from those of the red caturra. 

Before treating the cherries, Rodrigo mixes lactobacilli, saccharomyces and cerevisiae bacteria, a total of 10 different yeasts, to promote fermentation. Rodrigo also adds cholupa, an acidic fruit often used to make a kind of lemonade, and dried coconut to enhance the flavour. Finally, he adds a sugar-rich mixture to fuel the fermentation, such as molasses, panela, or granulated sugar. The mixture is sealed and fermented for 8 days. After 8 days, the cherries are added to the fruit mixture for 180 hours. After fermentation, the coffee is washed and dried on parabolic beds. Cherries are raked frequently to ensure even drying for 25 to 30 days.

• Region: Acevedo, Huila
• Country: Colombia
• Elevation: 1,730 masl
• Variety: Caturra
• Process: Natural fermentation with coconut