MIRRA - Alejandro Ruiz | Colombia - Washed - Caturra

We have been on the lookout for a while now for a truly captivating, and complex yet classic washed caturra from Colombia, and when we cupped this lot from Alejandro Ruiz of Finca Rocio, it was immediately clear that it more than fit the bill. This coffee is a perfect example of the extremely high potential for quality that more traditional Colombian varieties have, when cultivated and processed with a great deal of care and intention, as this one has been. This coffee presents us with a refined, deep red cup, full of syruppy, round stewed cherry, light white honeysuckle florals, and juicy apricot throughout.

We asked Alejandro for his history and thoughts on coffee farming, and he had the following to say: “My name is Alejandro Ruiz, a fourth-generation coffee producer . . . [and] I work with my family on Finca El Rocío in Bruselas and Finca La Esperanza in Acevedo, Huila. Coffee is more than a crop for us — it’s a family tradition and a daily passion. Every day, we work to improve our processes and grow better specialty coffees, always aiming for higher quality and a better life for my family and future generations. We take great care of every part of the cultivation, and beyond technique, what truly shapes the cup is the love, dedication, and hard work we put into it every single day. On behalf of my family and myself, thank you for supporting our coffee.”

Caturra is a natural mutation of the bourbon variety, and was first discovered in the Minas Gerais region of Brazil between 1915 and 1918. It is common throughout South and Central America, and is known for its flavor quality at altitude.