Miranda (Inquisivi)

This coffee is packed in jute sacks lined with PVC Grainpro bags – an airtight storage system that preserves aroma and freshness for longer, while also allowing the coffee to breathe naturally.

This lot was selected and processed by Bertha Boyan de Miranda, who has been farming coffee at Finca Miranda, in Bolivia’s Inquisivi region, since 1965. As well as growing their own coffee, Bertha and her husband Mario also process selected lots for some of the small coffee farms in their local area. These cherries are carefully checked by the Miranda family prior to processing in order to maintain high quality standards.

Bertha Boyan de Miranda was born in the nearby settlement of Circuata and started working in agriculture in her teens for a large landowner. In 1965 she was given 8 hectares of land - and started out farming 2 hectares of coffee. Now over 70 years old, Bertha still works on the farm year round with the help of her husband, Mario. The couple has three children who come back and assist their parents with the farm work during harvest.

Finca Miranda and its neighbouring farms lie at an average altitude of 1,800 metres on the slopes of the green and mountainous Inquisivi region, around 150km south east of La Paz. Finca Miranda’s land extends over a total of 8 hectares - 5 hectares of coffee, 2 of forest reserve and some citrus trees (mandarin and orange). This is slightly larger than the average for the area - where most coffee farms average only around 2 hectares.

The coffee trees - Caturra and Catuai varietals - grow in the shade of native forest trees, providing habitat for the many birds and insects that can be seen in the area. Many farms in the Inquisivi region are also planted out with mandarin and orange trees.

The main harvest runs from May to September, peaking in June and July. The coffee cherries are picked by hand when fully ripe and then delivered to Finca Miranda’s small wet mill, where the beans are fermented, washed, and sun dried on a patio.