We’re entering a new decade and we couldn’t be happier doing this with Cocóra, our first roaster of the 20’s! From sunny Málaga, Spain, we’re thrilled to share Cocóra’s delicious coffees.
- What’s the story behind Cocóra? Where does the name come from and what does it mean?
Cocora was created in 2017 out of our passion for quality specialty coffee and a complete lack of it in Andalusia. The name Cocora comes from a very unique and special place in Colombia - the Cocora valley. We were inspired by its vibe and the spectacular scenery of its famous wax palm trees - the tallest in the world. Of course we wanted to reflect a piece of it in our logo. Those who have had the chance to visit this place will definitely get it.
- There seems to be a lot happening on the Spanish coffee scene. What’s the coffee scene like in Málaga?
Indeed we have witnessed an explosive growth of the Spanish specialty coffee scene in the past couple of years, especially in Madrid and Barcelona. New coffee shops in Spain are opening every week, which is really great both for the community and the business. Still the general coffee culture in Spain is pretty complicated and carries conservative stereotypes of how coffee should taste and be like (read: bitter burnt rubber). Our mission in Malaga is to introduce public to the third wave, show people what coffee is and how it can actually taste. For this reason we are regularly organising public cuppings, informative events and coffee brewing workshops. Often we use similarities between coffee and wine as they share a lot in common.
To say in a few words, coffee scene in Malaga is emerging and I see a lot of potential for it to become the most important specialty coffee hub in Andalusia.
- Is there any project you are working on right now that you are extra excited about?
Right now we are working on two exciting projects. One is our new website and online shop and the other is our coffee training lab in our roastery. We are creating a space where both coffee pros as well as enthusiasts can learn more and improve their skills in coffee. Our aim is to provide more valuable approach to coffee courses by teaching not more than 2 individuals at a time.
- The 2010s just came to an end. How do you think specialty coffee will develop in the 2020s? How will Cocóra change during the coming years?
We are fans of sustainable progress and this is also how we hope to see the future of coffee. Specialty coffee consumption should continue to become more sustainable in terms of costs, production and waste management. There will be more and more organically grown coffee. Also we see more automation in specialty coffee serving, which is already happening right now. In terms of coffee people, we think that as always, future belongs to those who are multi-disciplinary, versatile and can adapt fast.
- This is the first time we have Cocóra in the box. What can our subscribers expect from the three featured coffees (Gakuyu Ini AB, Duromina and Dukunde Kawa)?
One continent and three different origins.
Ethiopia Duromina Lot 21 is a very special coffee for us, we chose it for the Spanish Barista Championships. It opens with aromatics of nectarine, magnolia and has a pleasant honey sweetness.
Kenya Gakuyu Ini - we’re working with this coffee producer for the second year in a row and it’s amazing to see it getting better and better. This particular lot is a pure raspberry and apricot jam with a velvety caramel body and a sweet vanilla finish.
Rwanda Dukunde - a delicious floral organic coffee with notes of red fruits, pear and black tea.
What coffees did we send this month?
Gakuyu-Ini AB
Origin: Kenya
Process: Washed
Altitude: 1600 - 1700 MASL
Varieties: SL28 & SL34
Tasting notes: Raspberry & apricot jam
In the fertile lands of Kirinyaga County, Kenya, the wet mill Gakuyu-Ini is located. Thousands of smallholder farmers grow coffee in this beautiful and forested location. The soil is rich in minerals thanks to the extinct volcano Mount Kenya. The ripe coffee cherries are picked between October and January and brought to Gakuyu-Ini for processing. This coffee has notes of raspberry and apricot jam, with a velvety caramel body and a sweet vanilla finish.
Duromina
Origin: Ethiopia
Process: Washed
Altitude: 1900 - 2000 MASL
Varieties: Heirloom
Tasting notes: Magnolia & nectarine
The coffee cooperative Duromina was founded in 2010 by around one hundred local coffee farmers in the Jimma Zone, Ethiopia. Duromina translates to ”to improve their lives” in the Afaan Oromo language, and this was also the farmers’ goal with the cooperative. Award-winning Duromina is well known for their high-quality coffees, and this one is no exception. This juicy and elegant coffee has notes of magnolia, nectarine and honey sweetness.
and exclusively in our Tasting box™
Dukunde Kawa
Origin: Rwanda
Process: Washed
Altitude: 1700 - 2000 MASL
Varieties: Bourbon
Tasting notes: Red fruits & pear
Dukunde Kawa cooperative was founded in 2000 to develop specialty coffee in Rwanda. Today, the cooperative has more than 2100 members with four washing stations. The vast majority of the members (80%) are women who own small lots with around 200-300 trees. The washing stations allow them to combine their lots and use high-quality processing methods to attain higher prices. This delicious floral coffee has notes of red fruits, pear and black tea.
Don’t miss out on our next coffee box!