La Palma Y El Tucan

MEET THE PRODUCER | La Palma Y El Tucan is a longtime friend of the Black & White family, and if you've been around here awhile, you've likely seen their name printed on several of our labels over the years. They pioneered anaerobic processing methods in Colombia years ago and still produce arguably the best anaerobic washed coffees we've ever tasted! Their commitment to excellence and obsession with perfecting fermentation methods are two of the reasons they feature so prominently on our menu. But, they also keep coming around because you guys love their coffees - and we love sharing them with you!

TRUST THE PROCESS | This lot, a lovely Gesha from their farm in the hills of Cundinamarca, is made all the more lovely by a unique anaerobic processing method known as Bioinnovation, which was developed by La Palma's own Sebastian Villamizar. Inspired by traditional wine fermentation methods, Sebastian buried clay pots in the forest floor to control temperature. Inside, he mixes perfectly ripe coffee cherries with a microbial-rich compost that is made at La Palma and serves as an organic and biodiverse fermentation substrate. The coffee cherries are left to ferment in the clay pots for at least 100 hours before being removed to raised beds to dry as a natural. The result is a very well-executed anaerobic natural coffee, wherein just enough fermentation is used to elevate the existing flavor characteristics of this Gesha lot without overpowering those flavors with funk. And honestly, we'd expect no less from the measured, meticulous hands at La Palma Y El Tucan.

TAKE A SIP | When hot, this coffee lets you know it's a Gesha lot straightaway by its pronounced floral characteristics, like white flowers and lavender. A honey-like sweetness is present throughout the tasting experience, but here we perceive it as a very dark honey, with cooked fruits (plum and mango) taking the stage. Acidity at this temperature can be perceived as lemon and lime zest. | As the cup approaches a pleasantly warm temperature, acidity increases in tune with our delight. At this temperature, the coffee is bright and fresh, reminding us of white and orange wines and white grapes. The mango still lingers, but it's fresh rather than candied, and a delightful fresh peach note enters the chat. Both the body and the honey note grow lighter in their expression, and the result is a sip that has tea-like texture and florals, reminding us of jasmine green tea. | Finally, as the cup continues to cool, the sweetness spikes and the acidity reaches an all-time high. Malic and citric in its acidity, this expression of the cup offers even lighter fruit notes: white peaches, pineapples, and green apple, for example. That aforementioned honey note gives way to something more akin to brown sugar or maple syrup, and the body is overwhelmingly velvety in texture. It still finishes like that jasmine green tea we mentioned before, lest we dare forget this coffee is a Gesha, after all. 

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Origin | Cundinamarca, Colombia

Farm | La Palma Y El Tucan

Process | Bioinnovation Natural

Variety | Gesha

Elevation | 1650 - 1800 masl