[Rested] Sudan Rume - Natural "XO" - Finca Las Margaritas, Cafe Granja La Esperanza

Description

Tastes Like: Violet, Strawberry, Sangria Origin: Las Margaritas, Valle del Cauca, Colombia Variety: Sudan Rume Producer:  Rigoberto and Luis Eduardo Herrera Elevation: 1,570-1,850 MASL Process: Natural "XO"  About Cafe Granja La Esperanza Cafe Granja La Esperanza is one of Colombia’s most recognized specialty coffee producers, with farms located across distinct microclimates in the Colombian uplands. The operation is led by brothers Rigoberto and Luis Eduardo Herrera, who continue their family’s coffee-growing legacy into its third generation. The group manages five farms across three mountain ranges, with elevations ranging from approximately 1,400 to 2,000 MASL. Their work spans a range of high-end specialty varieties and processing styles, and they are widely known for introducing Geisha to Colombian soil early in its development within the country. Coffees from Cafe Granja La Esperanza were also featured in the winning cup of the 2015 World Barista Championship. The history of the group began at Potosi, where Juan Antonio Herrera expanded the farm’s plantings beyond Typica to include Yellow Bourbon, Red Bourbon, and Caturra. That foundation of careful variety selection, farm management, and quality-focused production continues through the Herrera family’s current work at farms such as Las Margaritas. About Sudan Rume Sudan Rume is a variety often valued in specialty coffee for its aromatic intensity, layered fruit expression, and potential for florality. It is typically associated with elegant structure and distinctive cup character when grown at high elevation and handled with careful processing. In this lot, Sudan Rume’s floral qualities are paired with the deeper, fruit-driven profile of the Natural “XO” process, resulting in notes of violet, strawberry, and sangria. Processing Notes This lot was processed using Cafe Granja La Esperanza’s Natural “XO” method, an extended natural process designed to build layered fruit expression, acidity, and aromatic intensity. The cherries are harvested at optimal ripeness before being submerged in water for flotation, which helps separate and remove lower-density cherries. Before fermentation begins, the team measures the cherries’ Brix degrees to assess sugar concentration and determine readiness for the next stage of processing. The cherries are then fermented in GrainPro bags for 70 hours. During this fermentation period, the coffee is rotated every 5 hours, allowing the cherry mass to remain evenly exposed to its own fermentation must. This helps promote a more uniform fermentation environment and contributes to the coffee’s enhanced acidity, fruit character, and depth. For this Sudan Rume lot, the XO natural process supports a cup profile with expressive florals, saturated red fruit, and a wine-like structure, reflected in notes of violet, strawberry, and sangria. We have long appreciated Cafe Granja La Esperanza’s XO profile for its extended fermentation character and the depth it can bring to expressive varieties. During our origin trip, CGLE reached out with a new experimental profile to taste, and the combination of this process with Sudan Rume immediately stood out to us. This is the first time we are offering a Sudan Rume lot processed in the XO style, and we chose it for the way it brings together florality, saturated red fruit, and a structured wine-like profile. The cup is distinctive without feeling one-dimensional: violet aromatics, strawberry sweetness, and a sangria-like depth make this a compelling addition to our menu.