Bolivia, the land of extremes and the third stop on our trip to South America last October. Arriving in El Alto, the city that houses La Paz's airport at about 4,150 meters above sea level, felt like landing on the moon. Your body experiences a readjustment of water and air due to the pressure and lack of oxygen. This change can cause the phenomenon known as altitude sickness, which in our case we combated at 4 a.m. with the taxi driver's good humor, a good chat about the people of Cochabamba, and a cup of coca tea upon arrival at the hotel. A miracle cure.
The following morning we headed to our base camp in Caranavi, a trek that takes us through the Andes Mountains, reaching the highest point at the summit. From there, we began our descent, where the vegetation appears with magnificent splendor as we approach the Yungas region. Forests teeming with coca plantations accentuate a landscape where the reality is palpable: the greater profitability for producers of the psychoactive leaf compared to coffee, which is suffering from ridiculously low prices on the stock exchange, meaning that the vast majority don't even cover their production costs.
Despite the differences between regions, Bolivian coffees are characterized by high bean density, intense sweetness with a round, full body, and a rich balance of cacao and fruity notes. Our selection focuses on three key areas: Taypiplaya, Caranavi, and Irupana. The first of these comprises the majority of the lots we acquired this year due to our natural attraction to the coffees from this region, where the quality is simply spectacular. The area's terroir boasts rich soils, and its population numbers around 2,000 inhabitants spread across 34 settlements. The production structure is reminiscent of Ethiopia, where small producers manage their plots of land with mixed varieties. Some lots lean towards older varieties like Typica, with its red fruit and floral notes, and Caturra, where tropical fruit notes predominate.
On the other hand, in Caranavi we find the lots from the communities of Copacabana, Villa Rosario, and Bolinda, where notes of red fruits, candy, and dense bodies reminiscent of syrup predominate. Of course, we can't overlook the experiments we've conducted at Don Carlos's farm with anaerobic washed and honey processes, as well as a natural varietal with an experimental process.
Last but not least, the Irupana region belongs to the Sud Yungas area, where the altitudes are stratospheric, ranging from 1,800 to 2,200 meters above sea level. Its cup profile is unlike any of the previous options; here we find a very balanced cup, with a high sweetness and a characteristic dulce de leche note accompanied by Muscat grapes. A true delight.
The lots we have chosen make up a selection of coffees whose objective is none other than to showcase the diversity of flavor contrasts that we can find in a country as incredible as Bolivia.