This Brazilian coffee from the Czech roastery Roastlab in Plzeň has a sweet, mellow, and very pleasantly rounded profile. The flavor combines hazelnut, chocolate, and a subtle citrus acidity, so while the cup is built on a classic Brazilian foundation, it’s neither heavy nor bland. On the contrary, it has a clean, balanced profile and a creamier body, which makes it smooth and very easy to drink. It’s exactly the kind of coffee that’s a safe bet, yet still has enough character to avoid feeling ordinary. The nutty-chocolate notes provide a sweet and warming foundation, while the citrus touch adds lightness to the cup, and the whole blend comes together very naturally. The result is a coffee that is straightforward and approachable, yet clean and elegant.
The coffee comes from the Mantiqueira de Minas microregion in Brazil and combines harvests from two family farms near the town of Carmo de Minas: Sítio da Torre and Três Barras. Behind this lot are growers Álvaro Antônio Pereira Coli and José Wagner Ribeiro Junqueira, representing the fourth generation of coffee-growing families who have long been dedicated to high-quality production and have even won Cup of Excellence awards. The entire project is overseen by the COCARIVE export team, which works with microlots in the region, emphasizing terroir rather than mass production. Furthermore, Mantiqueira de Minas is a region where the landscape itself plays a major role. The steep slopes do not allow for mechanized harvesting, so the cherries are picked by hand. It is precisely this combination of family farms, meticulous care, and the mountainous environment that gives the coffee a cleaner and more refined character than what people often automatically associate with Brazil.
The variety and processing method also play a major role here. This is the rare Red Acaia, a natural mutation of the Mundo Novo variety dating back to 1977, known for its larger beans and exceptionally interesting flavor profile. The cherries are processed using the pulped natural method —a semi-washed process— which helps preserve sweetness and a fuller body while maintaining good flavor clarity. After drying, the coffee is allowed to rest for an additional 30 to 60 days in special wooden silos, which translates into greater stability and a creamier texture in the final cup. The result is a Brazilian coffee that is sweet, smooth, and very well-balanced, with a nutty-chocolate base and a subtle freshness on the finish.