Bolivia: Don Carlos, Mosto Washed

Think soft and sweet sultanas mixed in with apricot, before it all gets a sprinkle of golden sugar in this easy drinking coffee.

This Mosto Washed Caturra and Catuai lot was grown at Finca Don Carlos, nestled in the Bolinda colony of Caranavi, Bolivia. The farm is part of Agricafe’s Buena Vista program, their ambitious project to revive Bolivia’s declining coffee trade. Pedro Rodríguez, along with his daughter Daniela and son Pedro Pablo (who runs Don Carlos) are the driving force behind Agricafe and Fincas Los Rodríguez. Theirs is a story of innovation and a deep commitment to revitalising the Bolivian specialty coffee industry that was, not so long ago, on the verge of disappearing entirely

A Farm Worthy Of Don Carlos   

The Caranavi province sits towards the western edge of Bolivia, on the eastern slopes of the Andes mountain range. Caranavi means "high place" in the Aymara language, one of the indigenous languages spoken in Bolivia. Caranavi province sits in a transitional zone between the high Andes and the Amazon basin, it’s known for its lush vegetation and has been dubbed the "Coffee Capital of Bolivia" for its ideal growing conditions and over 13,000 hectares of plantations.  
 
Finca Don Carlos is spread over 18.7 hectares situated at 1,550-1,650 metres above sea level. This Bolivian coffee farm benefits from a microclimate of cool mountain air and rich volcanic soil, perfect conditions that contribute to its vibrant acidity and clean, structured cup profile. In addition to coffee, the farm is committed to environmental stewardship, with active reforestation efforts planting native species such as Tajibos, Mara, and Ceibo to preserve biodiversity and support long-term soil health.

Finca Don Carlos is named in honour of Carlos Mariaca, the oldest and most unconditionally awesome employee of Agricafe. He was there at the start of the specialty coffee trend and, together with Pedro Rodriguez (the founder of Agricafe) helped to build the wet mill in Caranavi. As a tribute to his legacy within Bolivian specialty coffee and to show their gratitude for all his good work, the company decided to give him partnership of the farm. His name has since been synonymous with delicious Bolivian coffee.

The Buena Vista Project

The Rodriguez family have been sourcing coffee from small coffee producers in the Caranavi and Samaipata regions for three decades, but the steady decline of coffee production put the sustainability of their export business in jeopardy. Daniela and Pedro bought land in the Caranavi region to showcase modern practices and educate other producers in sustainable farming, as well as increasing the overall volume at their mills. They have twelve farms in total, and Finca Don Caros is one of eight in the Caranavi region, the project's second farm overall. Pedro Pablo studied agronomy in Honduras and brought techniques he had learnt there to the Buena Vista farms.

Rather than following traditional Bolivian coffee farming practices common in the region, they took an extremely methodical, innovative and scientific approach. They consulted leading specialty coffee agronomists from around the world, trialled different varieties and techniques, and carefully documented everything they learned. The results were extraordinary. Their farms became some of the most organised and beautiful in the country - coffee planted in neat rows, meticulously separated by variety, vibrant and healthy and producing exceptional quality and yields. The family also made a commitment to conservation from the outset, aiming to keep 60% of their land as nature reserves with coffee planted as agroforest amongst the trees. 

What Is Mosto Washed Processing?

The meticulous processing carried out at the Buena Vista mill manages the fermentation, depulping and drying processes to ensure exceptional quality - aided by their onsite laboratory where the coffee is analysed daily and its progress tracked. Through their exacting systems and traceability, alongside a world-class cupping team, they've been able to refine their techniques whilst continuing to learn for the future. Mosto is a Spanish word which describes fresh fruit juices - specifically before they are fermented. The same root gives the English word for this, used in wine-making - a Must.

Starting with two batches of coffee, the first is processed using the regular Washed technique (depulped, fermented in a closed tank, rinsed, and taken to dry) and the liquids from that first fermentation are saved. With the pH and microbial levels closely monitored and managed, the next batch of coffee cherries then goes through its own processing – with the fermentation step carried out with the coffee beans submerged in this mosto juice. Once the fermentation has broken down any remaining pulp, this is also rinsed and dried. Utilising these fresh, already fermenting juices for the second coffee gives the process a kick start which seems to help develop the complex, juicy flavours in these coffees.

To dive into Mosto coffee processing in more detail, check out our blog article here: https://ozonecoffee.co.uk/blogs/coffee-processing-explained/what-is-mosto-processing 

• Country: Bolivia
• Municipality: Caranavi
• Colonia: Bolinda
• Producer: Agricafe
• Farm: Don Carlos
• Producer: Carlos Mariaca
• Elevation: 1,550 – 1,650 m.a.s.l.
• Size: 18.7 hectares 
• Processing method: Mosto Washed
• Varietal: Caturra & Catuai
• Harvest time: May - November
• Reforestation: Tajibos, Mara, Ceibo

Medium Dark
Through the gap and let this develop a little in the gap before pushing through to the edge of second as the roast finishes.

Cupping Notes: Sultana, apricot, golden sugar.

Cup of Excellence Cupping Scores

• Clean Cup: 6.5/8
• Sweetness: 6.5/8
• Acidity: 6/8
• Mouthfeel: 6/8
• Flavour: 6/8
• Aftertaste: 6.5/8
• Balance: 6.5/8
• Overall: 6/8
• Correction: +36
• Total: 86/100

If you'd like to find out more about how we score coffees, make sure to read our blog post “What Do Coffee Cupping Scores Actually Mean?” and if you'd like to try cupping yourself, we've got a guide to that too! What is Coffee Cupping.