Bolivia: Las Alasitas, Anoxic Washed

Tasting notes

In the roaster’s words

Bolivia: Las Alasitas, Anoxic Washed Think of a bowl of berry crumble , slathered in vanilla custard with a warming lift of nutmeg on the finish. There's also a little twist of orange in this comforting and well balanced cup. “Buy me!” said Ekeko, and we did! This time, we’ve bought a delicious Anoxic Washed Red Caturra from Finca Las Alasitas. Buy this coffee! The word Alasitas means “buy me” in Aymaran, an indigenous language widely spoken in the La Paz department of Bolivia. During the Alasitas festival locals buy miniature figurines representing their aspirations to be blessed by priests. These are then offered to Ekeko, the moustachioed pre-Colombian Tiwanakan god of prosperity, hoping that the real version will be granted in the coming year. Everything a person could possibly desire - cars, a successful marriage (represented by miniature hens!), even tiny coffee sacks - are offered as tokens to bring their wishes true. Alasitas was an apt name for Agricafe’s first farm, a formation of their vision for the future and the flourishing of Bolivian coffee. Fincas Los Rodriguez Las Alasitas was Agricafe’s first foray into farming as part of their ambitious project to revive Bolivia’s declining coffee industry. Tucked into the steep green valleys of Bolinda, just outside Caranavi, Las Alasitas sits at around 1,642 metres above sea level. Caranavi is located just north of the department of La Paz city, 150 kilometres from the capital, and is the central hub of Bolivian coffee production. The Rodriguez family had been sourcing coffee from small producers in the Caranavi and Samaipata regions for three decades, but the steady decline of Bolivian coffee production put the sustainability of their export business in jeopardy. In 2014 Daniela and Pedro bought land in the region to showcase modern practices and establish model Bolivian coffee farms that other producers could learn from, as well as increasing the overall volume at their mills. The 20.6 hectares of land at Las Alasitas were first planted with 16 hectares of Red Caturra, Java, and Geisha. The farm now also serves as the family's variety nursery - a kind of experimental hub where agronomist Rodrigo Frigerio tends to seedlings of new coffee varietals for use across the wider Los Rodriguez farms. Its altitude and fertile soils make it perfect for producing brilliant and unique coffees. Cool nights and mild days slow the ripening of coffee cherries here, allowing sugars to concentrate and complexity to bu

Notes

Anoxic washed Red Caturra from Finca Las Alasitas, Agricafe's first farm in Bolivia.