The aroma features notes of nuts such as macadamia and cashews. It is also very sweet, with notes reminiscent of milk chocolate, cocoa powder, and molasses. It is slightly fruity on the palate and also has a herbal note reminiscent of chamomile. It has a mild acidity and a smooth body.
In a region known for its cacao, Juan and Lucía are proving that Bolivia has much more to offer the world of specialty coffee. Finca Paraíso is the result of years of hard work, curiosity, and a philosophy of life that permeates everything: Vivir Bien, a concept inherited from the local indigenous peoples that speaks to thriving in harmony with the community and nature.
Juan came to coffee from the ground up. Raised in a coffee-growing family in Alto Beni, he spent over a decade working at Agricafe, where he trained in wet processing, laboratory work, quality control, roasting, and export. That experience—evaluating lots from smallholder farmers and refining his palate—is now the backbone of Finca Paraíso’s quality.
Lucía shares that same philosophy of continuous improvement. “Whenever we change something from the previous year, we’re eager to see how the coffee will turn out,” she explains. “Seeing our creativity reflected in the results is what motivates us.” Although each manages their own lot—Juan the Catuai, Lucía the Java—both insist that it has been a shared effort from day one.
The farm stands out for its meticulousness: perfectly organized seedbeds, spotless machinery, and storage with attention to detail. Juan never received formal training; he learned by observing, experimenting, and constantly asking himself how to improve. That same curiosity translates into the cup.
Process
Harvesting is done manually, selecting only the cherries at their optimal ripeness, identified by a deep red color.
After harvesting, the coffee is pulped and placed in plastic bags to begin a controlled fermentation lasting between 24 and 48 hours. During this process, Juan constantly monitors the coffee using traditional methods honed through experience; when the mucilage begins to detach easily from the parchment, the fermentation is considered complete.
Subsequently, the coffee is Washed fresh water and transferred to raised drying beds, where it dries slowly for 15 to 20 days until it reaches approximately 12% moisture content.
When replicating this recipe, there are various factors that can affect the final result of your cup, such as the roast date, how the beans were stored, the environment, the water, etc. It’s important to keep in mind that all these factors can have an impact, so you may need to make small adjustments when replicating this recipe.
Method: Aeropress
Grinder: Fellow OPUS set to setting 6.1
Recommended mineral water: Lanjarón
We used 18 grams of coffee per 180 grams of water at a temperature of 93°C.
We added the water in a single pour with an extra 40ml bypass. We pour the water until reaching 180g. The total brewing time should be 2 minutes, with extraction finishing around 2:35. This recipe yields a TDS of 1.56% and an extraction percentage of 19.46%.
