Fourth Sunday of Advent | Takesi, Bolivia

The name Mariana Iturralde brings to mind humbleness, respect for the craft, and limitless ambitions. It is not by accident that we find one of the world's best coffees at Finca Takesi.

Although the farm is situated in a small but absolutely perfect sweet spot to grow coffee, the craft is everything when it comes to cultivating the demanding Geisha variety. Unlike the rest of the nearby area, at elevations up to 2,200 meters, we find an excellent combination of rich humus soil and ideal weather conditions. Spread across the steep mountainsides, Geishas thrive.

Unlike some other varieties, you will find flower buds, blossoms, green cherries, and ripe cherries all on a Geisha tree at the same time. This means, during harvest, Mariana and her team visit each tree up to 14 times to pick only the perfectly ripe cherries.

What makes Takesi Geisha stand out is the unique combination of being exceptionally clean and delicate, yet bringing us an intense sweetness and high complexity in the aroma.

3rd Sunday of Advent | Edilfonso & Maribel, Colombia

For more than a decade, we have sourced clean and pristine coffee from Edilfonso and Maribel. For the Advent calendar, we have chosen something very special from their farm: a Pink Bourbon which yields a round and pleasant cup with citrusy notes of blood orange, cardamom, and apricot.

The couple met each other in their teens and have stuck together ever since. Coffee was always in the cards for Edilfonso, who inherited his farm from his family, and today, he and his wife, Maribel, run La Esperanza together. 

Scouting out through their kitchen window, you gaze over the green mountain tips where clouds are slowly passing by. Their coffee fields spread like roots under their red stone house, located at the top of La Esperanza. Here, varieties such as Pink Bourbon thrive. Stepping out of their kitchen, you enter the processing facilities. A depulper and two baths to wash and process the coffee are located, overlooking the majestic landscape. From here, the coffee is moved to raised beds to dry. 

In Huila, the couple is known for their pristine, ivory beans that come from thorough sorting. In their dining area, the family has decorated the walls with photos. We are touched to see that we are still represented from our first visit to their farm more than a decade ago.

Happy 2nd Sunday of Advent | Efrain, Peru

In San Ignacio, a renowned coffee province in the north, Efrain and Maria Flor own a farm named Cerro Azul. The farm, set against the backdrop of blue and green tones, is a family venture where Efrain, Maria Flor, and their daughter work together to produce high-quality coffee.

Since 1993, they have dedicated their lives to coffee production, focusing on improving quality through hard work. Over the years, they have learned the importance of effective management for profitability and the meticulous processes of slow drying and selective cherry picking.

Their significant achievements include winning 2nd place in the Cup of Excellence in 2017 and 3rd in 2022, and they continue to strive for excellence in their coffee journey.

Efrain and Maria Flor begin their coffee process by carefully selecting perfectly ripe cherries. After sorting, the cherries are placed in airtight bags to ferment for 36 hours. Subsequently, they are spread in an even layer on shaded raised beds for 28 hours before being moved to the main drying patio for up to 30 to 40 days.

1st Sunday of Advent | Duver, Colombia

Happy first Sunday of Advent! Over the past year, we have carefully selected a handful of very exclusive coffees that you wouldn't otherwise find in our coffee range. We hope they bring something special to you, and we look forward to sharing a brew with you every Sunday throughout December.

Several years ago, Duver’s mother cultivated coffee on a large piece of land in the Colombian Andes. Since then, the land has been divided among her sons, and the coffee you are tasting today is a beautiful Geisha variety, produced by Duver.

Coffee runs in the family, and Duver's daughter, Yenifer, is educated in agroindustry engineering. She encouraged her dad to experiment with a new processing method to achieve a sweeter and cleaner coffee. After the cascara is removed, the beans are covered in a sugary layer named mucilage. These sugary-coated beans ferment in closed barrels for up to 60 hours, depending on the climate. Tasting the beans during this stage of the processing reminds us of sweet peaches.

Get inspired and check out our brew guides.