Origin of the Month
Our monthly coffee selections!
Learn about our monthly coffee selections! Every 30 days we bring in a new exotic origin and a new premium origin every quarter.
Origin of the Month
Uganda Natural Liberica Excelsa
We are excited about this one! Liberica is a different species of coffee, and it’s the first time we have brought it to you. Every other origin of the month has been an Arabica coffee. We have brought you two Robustas, Vietnam (which some of you call your favorite), and the India Cherry Robusta that some of you are still ordering today.
We have known about Liberica coffees for some time now and have been tracking them, waiting for one to come out with a cup score high enough (over 80) to offer as an origin of the month. We finally found one. You will be pleased with the uniqueness of this coffee.
Before I go on to describe this coffee, I want to share some information about the species itself.
Liberica coffees are native to Western Africa. Unlike Arabica, Liberica trees thrive in lower altitudes and hotter temperatures. Arabica trees like high altitude and for temperatures to be between 60 and 80 degrees. Liberica coffees are known for bold and robust flavors, yet are lower in acidity, which helps make them smooth. The mouthfeel of Liberica coffees is full-bodied and syrupy. Liberica coffees are known for a woody, smoky, nutty, spicy profile with strong, intense flavor notes. Their boldness and robustness are enhanced by a darker roast profile.
Liberica coffee trees grow to heights of 32 feet, a little more than twice the height of Arabica trees. The Liberica coffee tree also has much larger leaves than Arabica trees. Like Robusta trees, Liberica trees are disease and pest resistant and are drought tolerant. All of this makes life better for Liberica coffee farmers.
Now for the description of this particular coffee. It was grown in Uganda’s Lowero district in the Central Region by various farmers holding less than 5 acres, at elevations of only 3200- 3900 feet above sea level. It was processed using the natural process, where only the ripest coffee cherries are harvested and sun-dried whole with the fruit of the cherry still intact. Workers turn the cherries at regular intervals to ensure even drying and airflow, which also prevents spoilage.
This coffee definitely exhibits the woody, smoky, nutty characteristics of a Liberica, but there is a very prominent flavor note that I can’t quite put my finger on. I don’t know what it is, but I know it has a stranglehold on me. I find myself thinking about it quite a bit. Maybe, this note will be clear for some of you. It is a must-try for sure.
Origin of the Quarter
Dominican Republic Ramirez Red Honey
This coffee certainly deserves the Premium moniker. We first made this coffee available as the POOQ for the first quarter of 2022. It was so popular back then that when we saw it was available again, we couldn’t pass it up. It is an organic, honey-processed coffee that received a score of 92 (very good to outstanding) from Coffee Review.
Part of its quality can be attributed to its proximity to Haiti (same island) and Jamaica (you know, Blue Mountain). Like the coffees from Haiti and Jamaica, Ramirez Red Honey is a low-acid, slightly sweet coffee, with a creamy body that is super smooth. It was grown on the Ramirez Estate in the central region of the Dominican Republic.
The Ramirez Estate is worth talking about in more detail. It is a third-generation estate run by the Ramirez family. The Ramirez family employs about 400 people and it pays them wages that are 300 percent higher than the fair-trade standard. Before the Ramirez family purchased the land in the early 1990s, it was barren, natural water springs had dried up, and the previous owners had it used it to raise cattle.
What’s more, the parts of the coffee cherry that most farmers throw out are converted into natural gas through fermentation––in turn, this natural gas powers the Ramirez Estate. The water they use is recycled, filtered, and returned to water systems in the vicinity. Lastly, the cherry pulps and skins are added to compost piles where they are used as fertilizer for the Ramirez Estate and other nearby farms.
It’s not just the premium coffee they produce and the environmentally conscious efforts they employ. The Ramirez Estate also has built schools in rural areas, so local children no longer have to walk nearly twenty miles a day. They donate books to these schools, too.
All told, Ramirez Red Honey is an outstanding coffee. A while ago, I posted my top 5 of the 60 or so coffees we have brought you. This coffee was number 2. For me, it has smooth notes of milky vanilla with a nutty aftertaste. It is smooth and has a balanced sweetness. All told, this might be the best coffee you have ever tried.