Leandro Santos

Proud to present to you our 2nd microlot from the Espirito Santo region. This one is grown by Leandro Sila Dos Santos at only 1100 meters above sea level. The coffees from this region shake things up, they are anything but what you would expect from a Brazilian coffee and we’re stoked to share one of the best examples with you. 

We sourced this coffee through our partner Osito. In Espirito Santo small farmers are the norm and semi-washed or pulped natural processing is far more common than full naturals. When these small farms began experimenting with quality the results immediately caught their attention. Well processed lots from this region have noticeably higher acidity than other Brazilian coffees, great clarity and plenty of sweetness. The cup profile is more reminiscent of Central American or Colombian coffees than coffee from other Brazilian regions.

It is arguably both the terroir or climatic factors and the processing that has led to this brighter cup profile. Due to the increased humidity in the region, caused by its proximity to the coast and the rocky mountainous terrain producers in this area struggle to produce natural  without risking mold, over-ferment or phenolic defects. As such, washed processing is not just safer but offers an interesting and alternative flavour profile that is different to any other region in Brazil.

Leandro, a relatively new and young producer, manages just a hectare of land in Espirito Santo. Due to the microclimate of the area his coffees never fully ripens until November, meaning that he misses out on many quality competitions . However, in 2022 he was invited to join a coffee quality competition in his locality and took second place with his Catucai 2SL variety . Leandro processes all his coffee as fully washed coffees, with a 12 hour wet fermentation, aiming to draw out as much fruit and complexity without any pulpy or over fermented notes. It is incredible what kind of vibrant coffees he can cultivate and process at such a low altitude.

Origin: Brazil
Region: Munuz Freire, Caparao, Espirito Santo
Farm: Boa Vista
Producer: Leandro Silva Dos Santos
Variety: Catucai 2SL
Process: Washed