Finca Belgravia is an educational and experimental farm in Cauca, Colombia. Caravela Coffee owns and operateds the farm. Caravela Coffee, like Olympia Coffee Roasting, is a Certified B Corporation, and the two companies work together often.
Certified B Corporations meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability. These companies work to build more inclusive and sustainable economies. Caravela was recognized with top honors as a “Best for the World” company for their work and commitment to sustainability.
Caravela and Olympia’s work together makes this coffee, Finca Belgravia Maragogipe, one of the first-ever 100% Certified B Corporation coffees. Maragogipe – affectionately known as “elephant beans” – is a rare varietal that produces very large beans and exhibits exotic flavors in the cup.
THEDETAILS
region: Popayan, Cauca, Colombia
farm: Finca Belgravia
producer: smallholder farmers
association: Caravela Coffee
elevation: n/a
varietal: Maragogipe
process: n/a
CUPPINGNOTES
The aroma of the Colombia Finca Belgravia is rich and deep. Initial notes of toffee and baking spices give way to tropical fruits.
The coffee is moderately full-bodied and has a lightly syrupy mouthfeel. The cup features some pretty bold flavors up front – a light earthiness, pipe tobacco, cedar- but soon thereafter sweetens with a beautiful butterscotch note that carries through the rest of the cup. As the coffee cools, juicy fruits round out a clean finish – apricot, green apple, and mellow nectarine acidity.
FINALTHOUGHTS
This lot produced only 77 pounds of green coffee and Olympia bought it all. As a result they sold out within an hour or two of posting it. I was fortunate enough to buy some because I was on Twitter when they tweeted the link. Fifteen minutes after I ordered the coffee, Olympia announced it had sold out! I usually don’t write reviews for coffees that my readers can’t buy for themselves, but this one was too damn tasty not to.
The first few sips were a little challenging for my palate, and the coffee took me on a wild ride through its finish. Despite that, Olympia Coffee’s Colombia Finca Belgravia is a very drinkable coffee. One that didn’t stay on my shelf very long.
What were your thoughts of this one? Comments, questions, and suggestions are always welcome! Contact me, or enter a comment below.
UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, ALL PRODUCTS REVIEWED ARE UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONS FROM THE PRODUCT MANUFACTURER.
Andrew is a husband, father, dog lover, craft beverage enthusiast, content creator, and niche market Internet celebrity. Formerly of A Table in the Corner of the Cafe and The Pulitzer Project and contributor to Barista Magazine and Mental Floss, he’s been writing on the Internet for years.