Mandela Natural

Tropical and tart, yet balanced. This cup opens with aromas of cherry, honeysuckle, and tamarind. When sipped, pink guava and hyacinth notes dominate, alongside smooth Swiss chocolate. The juicy body with golden kiwi sweetness is accompanied by pink grapefruit acidity, and the finish features roasted hazelnut and tamarind.

Details

Producer: Rigoberto Herrera Farm: La Esperanza, Café Granja La Esperanza Region: Valle del Cauca Altitude: 1,430-1,760 masl | 4,692-5,774 feet Varietal: Mandela Process: Natural Roast: Medium Notes: Pink Grapefruit, Hyacinth, Swiss Chocolate

The Story

Mandela is a Café Granja La Esperanza cultivar that resulted from multi-phased cross-breeding with the goal of improving flavor potential and cup quality along with resilience and productivity.

High-quality Colombian Caturra was crossed with Timor for Coffee Leaf Rust resistance, and then crossed again with Ethiopian landraces including Sudan Rume. The best-performing offspring were then selected and the varietal stabilized, with the resulting trees exhibiting both bronze and green tips. 

This layered, lively cup is a real treat—a testament to CGLE's continuing innovation and focus on quality. The freshly-harvested cherries are fermented for 36 hours prior to processing, after which they rest in a warm temperature-controlled silo for 48 hours before being dried on a solar drying bed for 15 days.

Direct Trade

In 2012, Café Granja La Esperanza achieved a “Triple Crown,” landing in 2nd, 3rd, and 7th place in the SCAA’s Coffees of the Year competition. We've been proud to partner with a producer who values experimentation with rare and difficult varieties—the results over the years have always been worth it!

Produced by Rigoberto Herrera in the Valle del Cauca region of Colombia, this Mandela Natural lot represents a distinct expression of the Mandela varietal. The coffee is processed using the natural method, a technique where the coffee cherry is dried intact around the bean. Generally, natural-processed coffees tend to show heavier fruit profiles and increased sweetness compared to washed counterparts, as the bean absorbs sugars from the drying fruit.

Roasted by PT's Coffee Roasting, this selection highlights a complex sensory profile featuring notes of pink grapefruit, hyacinth, and Swiss chocolate. To better understand how these specific descriptors align with broader industry standards, you may wish to consult the flavor wheel. Grown at elevations between 1430 and 1760 masl, this offering showcases the meticulous cultivation practices employed by Herrera to balance the unique characteristics of the Mandela varietal with the traditional processing methods of the region.