We taste: Bright fruit punch sweetness, jammy fruit, delicate florals, fresh herbaceousness, and a cocoa finish.
Producer: Yulissa Chambi
Region: San Lorenzo, Caranavi, Bolivia
Elevation: 1,550 meters above sea level
Varietal: Red Catuai
Process: Anaerobic Washed
Coffee Story
Yulissa Chambi represents a new generation of Bolivian coffee producers who are redefining what the country's coffee can be. Her family's farm, tucked into the lush mountains surrounding Caranavi, spent decades producing little coffee as low prices and limited infrastructure made investment difficult. In 2019, Yulissa and her family began restoring the property, replanting much of the farm and embracing specialty coffee with remarkable focus. Since then, Yulissa has become Bolivia's National AeroPress Champion, developed deep experience throughout the coffee supply chain, and established herself as one of the country's most exciting producers.
Caranavi, located in Bolivia's Yungas region, is known for its steep mountains, dense forests, and ideal coffee-growing climate. Although Bolivia exports relatively little coffee compared to its neighbors, the country's high elevations and diverse terrain produce coffees of extraordinary character. Farms here are typically small and remote, requiring producers to overcome significant logistical challenges from harvest through export. Those challenges make coffees like Yulissa's all the more remarkable.
This lot showcases Yulissa's thoughtful approach to processing. After carefully harvesting only ripe cherries, the coffee undergoes a controlled anaerobic fermentation before being finished as a washed coffee. Rather than dominating the cup, the process gently enhances the coffee's natural character, adding layers of sweetness and complexity while preserving the clarity that makes Bolivian coffees so captivating. The result is a vibrant, elegant cup with creamy tropical sweetness, delicate florals, and lively notes of ripe red fruit that reflect both the exceptional terroir of Caranavi and the dedication of a producer helping shape the future of Bolivian specialty coffee.