CUBA CARACOLILLO

CUBAN COFFEE CULTURE

The beautiful island of Cuba is part of a chain of underwater volcanic eruptions. This country boasts the largest number of endemic plants in the world, reaching up to 3,000 species. Many of its coffee plantations are found in forest and mountainous regions on very rich humus soil where production is laborious and the transport of coffee beans complex.

There is rigorous control of Cuban coffee plantations and great importance is placed on maintaining natural cultivation methods. Sustainable development is of prime importance in Cuba where the plantations are managed by state-owned cooperatives and the use of fertilizers is completely prohibited.

In Cuba, coffee is part of the daily routine. The majority of harvests are destined for export and each person is restricted to the amount of coffee they can consume as not to exhaust their harvests.

ABOUT THIS COFFEE

Caracolillo coffee beans proliferate in the heart of Cuba in a soil rich in mica and quartz on the plateaus of the Escambray mountain range commonly known as the Crystal Mountains. The peculiar characteristics of this soil, the moderate climate and frequent rains form an ideal microclimate for growing coffee. However, these small, round beans reminiscent of peas represent only less than 2% of the region's total production. Cuba’s humid climate, gentle Atlantic winds and traditional production methods are the ideal ingredients to produce great coffee.

WASHED WITH FERMENTATION

Once harvested, the cherries are taken to the factory for sorting and processing through a series of steps. The first step is to submerge them in water so that the unripe cherries can float to the surface and be removed. Ripe cherries go through the pulping phase which removes their skin and pulpy layer. The resulting beans are soaked in a fermentation tank for 24 to 36 hours to soften and remove their mucilage. The last step is to dry the beans mechanically or by spreading them out in the sun. When finished, the beans are sorted, graded and packaged

CUP PROFILE

The boldness of Caracolillo Cuban coffee is distinguished by a rare combination of very intense aromas and a smooth texture as well as the unmistakable presence of dark chocolate notes.

TORREFAZIONE ARTIGIANALE GRANITO (TAG roast)

Developed over more than four decades of sourcing, roasting and cupping expertise, our TAG roasting technique reveals a single origin coffee’s individual characteristic through complete caramelization of the sugars contained in its beans