Colombia LA CLAUDINA from the Hungarian roastery Casino Mocca is a coffee from Juan Saldarriaga’s farm that showcases just how intriguing a carefully processed Colombian coffee can taste. In the cup, you’ll find a distinctive flavor of tart cherries that gradually transitions into notes of red wine and subtle cocoa beans. The fruitiness is juicy and pleasantly pronounced; the wine-like character adds depth to the flavor, while the cocoa softens the overall profile. The result is a fuller, more complex cup with pleasant fruity acidity, a velvety mouthfeel, and a long cocoa aftertaste.
La Claudina is one of two farms owned by the Saldarriaga family in Colombia’s Antioquia region, near the town of Bolívar. Coffee trees here grow at an elevation of approximately 1,400 to 1,800 meters, and among them you’ll find varieties such as Colombia, Castillo, Tabi, SL 28, Maragogype, Gesha, Bourbon, and Caturra Chiroso. After returning from his studies in Europe, the young Juan Saldarriaga took over management of the family farms and began experimenting with different varieties and their cultivation at various altitudes. He also pays close attention to coffee processing, particularly the drying process.
This coffee underwent dry processing with natural fermentation. After harvest, the cherries are first carefully sorted and then dried in an environment with a temperature of 25 to 30 °C for approximately one month. The farms harvest only once a year, usually from September to January, and after harvest, the coffee trees are completely stripped of their fruit. This allows them to focus more energy on the new crop in the following season. The long drying of the whole cherries enhances their distinct sweetness, fruitiness, and complexity, which in La Claudina manifests as cherry notes, a wine-like character, and a pleasant cocoa aftertaste.
- Producer: Juan Saldarriaga
- Altitude: 1,400–1,800 m above sea level