BRAZIL SITIO SANTA LUZIA, FIRST PLACE CUP OF EXCELLENCE #2825

Tastes Like: Hibiscus, Mango, Dulce de Leche, Tropical Fruit, Vanilla

Why I’m Obsessed: The HYPE IS REAL. Between the story, the provenance, and its truly exceptional flavors, this COE winner is hands down my favorite coffee of the year. And I don’t say that lightly. I am so excited at the chance to share this special coffee with you!

This is the #1 winning coffee in Brazil’s 2024 Cup of Excellence, a natural-process Yellow Catucaí from Mantiqueira de Minas, a region renowned for its sweet, complex coffees. Only 180 kg of this lot exist in the world, and the only way to get it is through the Cup of Excellence auction. Our friends at Proud Mary were the winning bidders and, when I learned that I’d get to enjoy this coffee again, I almost jumped out of my chair with excitement.

I still remember cupping this coffee at origin: it was a showstopper at first sip. Think, pure dried mango and hibiscus, with the kind of crystalline, raw-sugar sweetness that has to be tasted to be believed. For a natural, it’s incredibly clean — layered, balanced, and juicy. As it cools, it softens into this dreamy profile of tropical hibiscus bubble tea: I taste dried mango, fig, white grape, creamy vanilla and a deep, almost sticky, dulce de leche finish. At the finale of the competition, it scored a whopping 92.32, receiving both First Prize and a special award as a 90+ scoring coffee. In short... the #1 coffee from the #1 coffee-producing country on the globe!

Even the presentation is worthy of its title. Each batch of this coffee is hand-packed in a 100g collector’s tin designed with original artwork commissioned by Proud Mary for this coffee alone. I plan to save my tin and treasure it! It's an object as special as the coffee inside, the kind of gift you buy for someone you love (or for yourself, because you deserve a truly exceptional coffee experience).

I was also lucky enough to meet the award-winning producers, Ronaldo and Luziane, a first-generation farming family who run their tiny 9-hectare estate with their children, Renan and Aline. Every cherry is handpicked at perfect ripeness, laid on cloth so it never touches the ground, and dried under the Brazilian sun. It is that kind of care and love that turns good coffee into something unforgettable. It is not often I get emotional over a cup, but when I sip this one, I remember the absolute joy and pride I witnessed when this coffee was awarded the top spot. The entire family went up on stage, beaming. Moments like that, and coffees like this, remind me why I love the world of specialty coffee. I'm honored to invite you to be a part of this story. Only a handful of these 100g tins exist, so if you’ve ever wanted to taste true Cup of Excellence magic, this is your chance!!

Bottom Line: You’ll love Brazil Sitio Santa Luzia if you love rare, world-class experiences and want to drink one of the most exceptional coffees of the year.

Fuelled by a familial agriculture system, Ronaldo and his wife, Luziane, along with their children, Renan and Aline, actively participate in every stage of coffee production. Sustainability is paramount, with a focus on preserving the springs and native forests on the farm.  

Handpicking only occurs when beans are perfectly ripe, and cloths are laid under the trees to ensure the cherries never touch the ground. The processing involves washing, drying on the patio with meticulous raking, and leaving the coffee to rest in granaries. This is the second consecutive year that we’ve purchased Ronaldo’s coffee in the Cup of Excellence (COE) auction; in 2023 he took home 3rd place, whereas this year, he took the top spot in the natural category. Only 180kgs of this exceptional coffee was produced and it was our standout favourite from the 2024 Brazil COE.