Strawberry Land is back, same varietal and same process as last year. Ethiosar varietal is a cross between Sudan Rume and Sarchimor and for this lot, fermentation is skipped entirely: cherries are selected at full ripeness, then dried whole in a container dryer under constant airflow (it works the way dehydrating fruit works) to have the moisture leave and so the sugar can stay to build sweetness. In the cup, we have tasting notes of amaretto, strawberry jam and dark plum and slightly boozy but very clean nonetheless.

This 100% Ethiosar lot is made up of single-day lots from eight farms in Caranavi that are part of Fincas Los Rodríguez. Found at elevations between 1,400 – 1,800m above sea level, the farms are owned by Pedro Rodríguez and his family. Over the last decade, Rodríguez has worked tirelessly to build production and expand the market for Bolivian specialty coffee, helping hundreds of local farmers recognise and realise the potential of their land and crops. Ethiosar is a hybrid variety created from a complex triple crossing: the flavourful Ethiopian variety Sudan Rume was crossed with the highly-resistant Sarchimor variety (itself a hybrid of Villa Sarchi and Timorese varieties), with that offspring being crossed again with the stable and high-yielding Villa Sarchi variety (another hybrid, this one between Caturra and Bourbon). The result is the best of all worlds: a genetically-rich tree that has a high resistance to rust and disease and that can grow in a wide range of climates and altitudes, while producing around 40% greater yields than traditional varieties. More importantly, because it is closely related to the Ethiopian variety Sudan Rume, it has great potential for a high cup quality and a distinct flavour profile – especially when grown carefully and meticulously.