Brazil is the largest coffee-producing country in the world by sheer volume. That means that everyone has tasted Brazilian coffee. Most of that is commodity-grade; it forms the backbone of many of the espresso blends out there. Brazil also exports a fair bit of higher-end commodity and specialty coffee, but it tends to be prized for its consistency in flavour rather than the excitement in the cup. Brazilian coffees are often used to bring that body and nutty flavour to blends, and they don't tend to feature as often among specialty single-origin offerings.

Nevertheless, there are Brazilian specialty lots well worth taking note of and trying. They may be outnumbered by their more commoditised compatriots, but the world's biggest producer also produces some world-class coffees. One of our partners that has always done a great job of finding and roasting those lots is Rosetta Roastery.

This lot comes from the sister farm of Sitio Vargem, the source of some exceptional Brazilian coffees that Rosetta has roasted in the past. It is also processed using the natural process with an extended fermentation, a relatively unusual approach. This should offer an exceptionally unique and interesting tasting opportunity.

Phaedon's tasting notes

I really enjoyed tasting this coffee. Even as we round out our first decade of opportunities to taste some of the best coffee being roasted in South Africa, it's wonderful to see that I can still find something completely unique to appreciate.

The flavour profile of this coffee really is something different to anything I've experienced before. My early flavour notes display a bit of perplexity. I couldn't help but chuckle to myself as I read "Juicy, some tannin & something red", not to mention "boozy." I think it was the whisky flavours that caught me completely off guard.

As I started to figure out what I was tasting, I took note of more fruitiness, dark grapes and strawberries jumped out at me particularly. Bright, with a slightly fermented and very sweet flavour profile, this coffee still managed to be easy to drink and enjoyable in consecutive cups. It's definitely one for pour-over and filter brews, but I also thoroughly enjoyed it in a siphon.

Rosetta's notes

Style: Progressive
Flavour profile: Rounded texture, Strawberry Jam, Whisky Complexity

With notes of cacao nib and jammy strawberry, this single-variety Red Catuai lot promises a new flavour experience with each different brewing method you decide to try!

Balance is the cornerstone of success when roasting coffee that has undergone an extended fermentation. Vibrant and unconventional, we strive to showcase these more unusual flavour characteristics while upholding a harmonious interplay of acidity and sweetness.

With the stealthy advance of first crack, we pull back on the gas and take great care managing the radiant heat of the roaster during development to preserve the bold aromatics and all the layered fruit complexities this coffee has to offer.

Coffee details from Rosetta

Over the past few years, Sitio Vargem Grande has delighted us with some exceptional coffee gems. This year, we're thrilled to introduce a lot from their sister farm, Sitio Sao Pedro, where Lourdes Fatima, family matriarch, takes the lead. Her son, Thiago, works with her to bring his expertise in genetics, coffee processing, and other key aspects of specialty coffee. Working alongside him are his brother Carlos and his wife Rosemere of Sitio Vargem Grande, all of them dedicated to perfecting and distinguishing their alternative coffee processes. The family's deep love for their work fuels their continuous exploration.

• Producer: Lourdes de Fatima de Souza of Sitio Sao Pedro
• Region: Mantiqueira
• Country: Brazil
• Variety: Red Catuai
• Altitude: 1125 masl
• Processing: Extended Fermentation Natural
• Harvest: 2022