The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta—an isolated coastal massif rising from sea level to snowy peaks—has sheltered indigenous farming for millennia. Coffee took root on its flanks in the 19th century; today, Organic Fair Trade cooperatives steward shade canopies, spring water, and slow patio drying that preserve sweetness and clarity. Pushed to a medium–dark curve, this lot builds a fudge‑like chocolate core, turns cane sugars to toffee and praline, and settles into roasted‑almond warmth. Acidity stays low and even thanks to cool nights; texture is velvety and cohesive. Expect a steady, chocolate‑sweet finish that feels polished and confidently balanced.

Sustainability Badges: Organic, Fair Trade, Shade‑Grown, Smallholder Cooperative, Spring‑Washed, Traceable Lot, Small Batch Roasted

In the remote Cuchumatán highlands, ASDECAFE unites smallholders across ridges once connected by mule trails, channeling Organic Fair-Trade parchment to meticulously clean wet mills. Dry mountain winds off the Tehuantepec help parchment dry evenly at altitude, locking in sweetness and structure. Kept at a measured medium, this SHB lot settles on milk chocolate and cane‑caramel over a tidy cocoa frame, brightened by orange‑zest and red‑apple lift. Acidity reads medium and precise; the mouthfeel is silky and rounded. Expect a crisp, cane‑sweet finish with gentle cocoa—an elegant, dependable Huehuetenango built on high elevation, cool nights, and cooperative discipline.

Sustainability Badges: Organic, Fair Trade, Cooperative Sourced (ASDECAFE), High‑Elevation Grown, Traceable Lot, Small Batch Roasted

ASDECAFE, a cooperative in Huehuetenango’s highlands, organizes smallholder production with a focus on precise picking, clean washed processing, and careful patio drying. SHB (Strictly Hard Bean) density supports deep roasting, developing a dark chocolate core, caramelized sugars that read as toffee and molasses, and comforting warmth from roasted almond and walnut. Acidity sits very low and smoothly integrated, emphasizing weight and composure. The body drinks heavy and coating, while the finish is long and tidy with cocoa‑nut persistence. Expect a polished, classic Huehuetenango cup—dependable for daily drinkers and robust enough for dense espresso service.

Sustainability badges: Cooperative Sourced (ASDECAFE), SHB Parchment, Selective Handpicking, Clean Washed Process, Traceable Lot, Small Batch Roasted

In Oaxaca’s Sierra and Mixteca communities, smallholder cooperatives revived quality by tightening selective picking, clean washed processing, and slow mountain drying—often under Organic and Fair-Trade programs that stabilize prices and invest in local projects. Kept at a medium–light roast, this lot shows lemon‑honey brightness and white‑grape lift over a cane‑sugar core, with a hint of cocoa to ground the cup and soft floral aromatics. Acidity reads lively but composed; the texture is silky and tea‑like, not thin. Expect a clean, sweet finish with citrus‑floral persistence—an elegant everyday Mexico profile that balances refreshment with approachable sweetness.

Sustainability Badges: Organic, Fair Trade, Cooperative Sourced, Selective Handpicking, Spring‑Washed, Traceable Lot, Small Batch Roasted

Chiapas borders Guatemala’s high ranges, where smallholder cooperatives revived quality through Organic and Fair-Trade programs—tight selective picking, clean washed processing, and slow mountain drying. Kept at a medium–light roast, this lot shows lemon‑honey brightness and white‑grape lift over a cane‑sugar core, with a touch of light cocoa to steady the cup and jasmine‑like aromatics. Acidity reads lively but composed; the body is silky and tea‑like, never thin. Expect a clean, sweet finish with citrus‑floral persistence and gentle apple/pear nuance—an elegant everyday Mexico profile that balances refreshment with approachable sweetness.

Sustainability Badges: Organic, Fair Trade, Cooperative Sourced, Selective Handpicking, Spring‑Washed, Traceable Lot, Small Batch Roasted

Founded in the 1960s in the Chanchamayo valley, Cooperativa La Florida became one of Peru’s flagship Organic, Fair-Trade organizations—training smallholders in selective picking, clean washed processing, and careful patio drying. Kept at a measured medium roast, this lot settles on milk chocolate and cane‑caramel over a tidy cocoa frame, brightened by orange‑citrus and a soft red‑apple note. Acidity reads clean and balanced; the mouthfeel is silky and rounded from mid‑palate to finish. Expect a crisp, cane‑sweet close with subtle cocoa persistence—an approachable, dependable Peruvian cup that showcases the cooperative’s long‑standing focus on quality and community.

Sustainability Badges: Organic, Fair-Trade, Cooperative Sourced, Selective Handpicking, Spring‑Washed, Traceable Lot, Small Batch Roasted

Kawa Yacu (“our coffee”) unites women producers in Karongi along Lake Kivu, where selective handpicking, meticulous washed processing, and careful raised‑bed drying yield naturally sweet, polished lots. Taken to a medium–dark curve, this coffee develops a fudgy chocolate core; cane sugars turn toward toffee and caramel; and roasted‑almond/walnut tones anchor the mid‑palate. The texture lands velvety and cohesive; acidity stays low and smoothly integrated, supporting a chocolate‑forward line from sip to finish. Expect a long, tidy cocoa‑nut close—comforting and composed, with the added impact of women‑driven stewardship and traceable cooperative quality.

Sustainability Badges: Women‑Led Cooperative, Selective Handpicking, Double‑Washed, Raised‑Bed Dried, Traceable Lot, Small Batch Roasted

Heritage Reserve denotes carefully curated Organic, Fair-Trade parchment from Timor-Leste’s cooperative network—smallholder plots with legacy Typica and Timor Hybrid trees, selective handpicking, and clean washed processing. Taken to a medium–dark curve, the profile turns cane sugars toward toffee and caramel around a dark‑chocolate core, while roasted‑almond/walnut notes add comforting depth. The mouthfeel lands velvety and cohesive; acidity stays low and smoothly integrated, supporting a chocolate‑forward line from sip to finish. Expect a long, tidy cocoa‑nut close—polished, steady, and quietly distinctive, with cooperative traceability and Organic/Fair Trade credibility baked in.

Sustainability Badges: Organic, Fair Trade, Cooperative Sourced, Selective Handpicking, Clean Washed Process, Traceable Lot, Small Batch Roasted

On the tiny island of Timor, over 7,000 small farmers—organized into 16 cooperatives and nearly 500 farmer groups—produce this Organic, Fair Trade Heritage Reserve lot. Grown at 1,000–1,400 masl on small, often organic plots, Híbrido de Timor trees are handpicked and wet-processed at cooperative mills. Taken to a dark roast, the cup centers on dark chocolate and molasses, with robust graham cracker sweetness and roasted almond/walnut depth. The body is heavy and coating, acidity sits very low and smoothly integrated, and the finish is long and tidy with cocoa-nut persistence. Dependable, comforting, and quietly distinctive.

Sustainability Badges: Organic, Fair Trade, Cooperative Sourced, Selective Handpicking, Clean Washed Process, Traceable Lot, Small Batch Roasted

On the slopes of Mount Elgon in eastern Uganda, Bugisu smallholders cultivate heirloom Bourbon/Typica lines under shade, delivering ripe cherries to cooperative wet mills for clean washed processing and raised‑bed drying. Careful prep yields naturally sweet, tidy parchment that thrives just shy of dark. Taken to a medium–dark curve, this Organic lot develops a cocoa‑to‑dark‑chocolate core; cane sugars lean to toffee and caramel; and roasted‑almond/walnut notes round the mid‑palate. The texture drinks velvety and cohesive; acidity stays low and smoothly integrated, supporting a chocolate‑forward line. Expect a long, tidy cocoa‑nut finish—polished, steady, and quietly distinctive Bugisu.

Sustainability Badges: Organic, Cooperative Sourced, Selective Handpicking, Double‑Wash/Soak, Raised‑Bed Dried, Traceable Lot, Small Batch Roasted