DOCE SAMBA from the Prague-based roastery Not Another Boring Roastery is an espresso you’ll fall in love with from the very first sip. “Doce” means “sweet” in Portuguese, and this coffee is just as sweet in your cup. You’ll detect notes of milk chocolate and hazelnuts, which complement each other like a well-coordinated dance couple. The profile is round and smooth, with the low acidity typical of Brazilian coffees. It’s an espresso for anyone who enjoys a sweeter, laid-back cup.
It comes from the Cerrado Mineiro region in the state of Minas Gerais, one of Brazil’s most important areas for specialty coffee. Vast plateaus, alternating rainy and dry seasons, warm days, cooler nights, and plenty of sunshine provide the coffee cherries with ideal conditions for even ripening. At altitudes ranging from 900 to 1,200 meters above sea level, the Yellow Icatu, Red Catuaí, and Yellow Catuaí varieties are grown here. The coffee cherries are supplied by 400 farmers collaborating with the Carpec cooperative in the city of Carmo do Paranaíba. The Carpec cooperative was founded in 1965 and today operates in 16 additional affiliated municipalities. It brings together small producers focused on micro-lots as well as large farms. The cooperative believes that true collaboration means investing in people, which is why, in addition to providing expert care for the coffee, it carries out projects that improve life in rural Brazil.
This coffee underwent natural processing. The cherries are dried whole, with both the skin and pulp intact, allowing the beans to absorb sweetness directly from the fruit. It is precisely this processing method that accounts for the fullness and sweetness of the cup, which are accentuated by notes of milk chocolate and hazelnuts. The cupping score is 82 points.
- Cooperative: Carpec
- Elevation: 900 to 1,200 meters above sea level
- Varieties: Yellow Icatu, Red Catuaí, Yellow Catuaí
- Cupping score: 82