FAZENDA DAS ALMAS - COE #9

Tastes Like: Caramel, Blackberry, Grapefruit

Why I'm Obsessed: COE winner in the house! If you're new to the term, Cup of Excellence is the most prestigious competition in coffee: every year, each country's very best lots are scored blind by an international jury, and only a tiny handful make it to the winner's circle. I've had the honor of judging COE myself, so trust me when I say a #9 ranking in Brazil, one of the major powerhouses in the coffee world, is a seriously big deal. This lot comes from the legendary Fazenda das Almas, where the Muniz family paired the sweet, elegant Arara variety with a meticulously controlled anaerobic natural fermentation. The result tastes like a layer cake: rich caramel sweetness on the bottom, juicy ripe blackberry in the middle, and a bright grapefruit sparkle in the finish. It's kept at a light, balanced roast so every bit of that complexity shines through. Brew it as a pour-over, take your first sip black, and taste what a jury of the world's toughest coffee judges fell for.

This coffee was judged, sourced, and roasted by my friend Eric at Casa Brasil. Based in Austin, TX, Casa Brasil is devoted entirely to Brazilian coffee, working direct-trade with farming families they've known for years. Eric sits on the COE jury in Brazil every year, and in 2024 I was lucky enough to be there beside him. He taught me a lot about Brazilian coffee, and I was so excited that he shared this year's special auction lot with us. We have fewer than 100 bags of this stunner: only a few lots of COE-winning coffee make it into the U.S. every year, and when they're gone, they're gone!

Bottom Line: You'll love Fazenda das Almas COE #9 if you love blackberry cobbler with caramel drizzle, chasing the rarest of the rare, or tasting coffee that truly defines the word excellence.