Monteblanco Coco

Rodrigo Sanchez Valencia is a third-generation coffee producer at Finca Monteblanco. His grandfather started growing coffee here several decades ago and, today, Rodrigo strives to preserve the natural diversity and productivity of the farm. 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 necessary for cultivation and processing.

Rodrigo grows the varieties Caturra, Geisha, Pink Bourbon and Pacamara at Finca Monteblanco. The high altitude and superb microclimate of Acevedo, in the Huila, create the ideal conditions for the cultivation of specialty coffees.

Rodrigo selected for this batch the "Purple Caturra", a variety of Caturra whose leaves and cherry color differ from those of the Red Caturra. When measuring the Brix sugar content, the "purple" Caturra has a higher Brix content than the classic red Caturra. 

This exceptional Finca Monteblanco coffee is fermented with coconut.

Before treating cherries, Rodrigo mixes them with a mixture of lactobacilli bacteria, saccharomyces and cerevisiae, a total of 10 different yeasts, to promote fermentation. Rodrigo also adds to this mixture cholupa, a sour fruit often used to prepare a kind of lemonade, and dried coconut to enhance the flavor. Finally, he adds a mixture rich in sugar to feed 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 and ferment for 180 hours (7.5 days).

After fermentation, the coffee is washed with clean water and dried on parabolic beds. Cherries are frequently raked to ensure uniform drying. The cherries take about 25 to 30 days to dry.