Fazenda Salitre Natural Arara
Josh’s notes:
New roaster! Meet Obscure from right here in our backyard of Brooklyn, New York. I have known Norberto since I started Lucienne as a nano-roaster. (Norberto is another alumni of roasting out of the apartment window- thankfully not the case anymore!) In fact he is one of the many important pillars of the local specialty scene, and he recently just opened up a brick and mortar location! Check it out if you’re in the area!
When I first tried to this coffee is immediately jumped out as a bouquet or roses that I had to have in the Lucienne lineup. I don’t get very many rose-y coffees so this was an easy choice. More specifically, this coffee presents like a floral and herbal tea, with rose petals and lemon verbena being the stars of the show. As the coffee cools, a bit of grapefruit acidity comes through to give a bit of an interesting edge to the cup, and a raw, unrefined honey sweetness and texture comes out. Given a bit of rest, the coffee only gets better. Highly recommended!
Obscure’s Notes:
“Maria Soraia comes from a family with over 35 years of experience in coffee cultivation, though it wasn’t until 2017 that their work was recognized with their first premium for specialty coffee. Her journey began in 1999, guided by her uncle who had been planting coffee in Serra do Salitre. Initially working with dairy cattle, Soraia made the switch to coffee and has since immersed herself in learning about post-harvest techniques to elevate the quality of her coffee. Her commitment has paid off with recognition from prestigious competitions like the Cup of Excellence, Minas Gerais State Coffee Quality Awards, Cerrado Mineiro Region Coffee Awards, and the Florada Contest, which celebrates women in coffee.
Soraia’s approach to coffee farming is hands-on and meticulous. She manages every step of the process—from hand-picking cherries to processing and staff development—uncommon practices in her region where mechanical harvesting is the norm. Her son Augusto now works alongside her, continuing the family tradition and pursuit of excellence. In 2023, she introduced a new fermentation technique using a water tank, showing her drive to innovate. Among her farm’s standout offerings is the rare Arara variety, known for its excellent cup quality, resilience to disease, and smooth, complex flavor profile—making it especially prized in specialty coffee circles and a highlight of her first exports to the U.S.”
Roast:
Roasted medium and spectacularly by our friends at Obscure Coffee Roasters in Brooklyn, New York.
Josh’s notes:
New roaster! Meet Obscure from right here in our backyard of Brooklyn, New York. I have known Norberto since I started Lucienne as a nano-roaster. (Norberto is another alumni of roasting out of the apartment window- thankfully not the case anymore!) In fact he is one of the many important pillars of the local specialty scene, and he recently just opened up a brick and mortar location! Check it out if you’re in the area!
When I first tried to this coffee is immediately jumped out as a bouquet or roses that I had to have in the Lucienne lineup. I don’t get very many rose-y coffees so this was an easy choice. More specifically, this coffee presents like a floral and herbal tea, with rose petals and lemon verbena being the stars of the show. As the coffee cools, a bit of grapefruit acidity comes through to give a bit of an interesting edge to the cup, and a raw, unrefined honey sweetness and texture comes out. Given a bit of rest, the coffee only gets better. Highly recommended!
Obscure’s Notes:
“Maria Soraia comes from a family with over 35 years of experience in coffee cultivation, though it wasn’t until 2017 that their work was recognized with their first premium for specialty coffee. Her journey began in 1999, guided by her uncle who had been planting coffee in Serra do Salitre. Initially working with dairy cattle, Soraia made the switch to coffee and has since immersed herself in learning about post-harvest techniques to elevate the quality of her coffee. Her commitment has paid off with recognition from prestigious competitions like the Cup of Excellence, Minas Gerais State Coffee Quality Awards, Cerrado Mineiro Region Coffee Awards, and the Florada Contest, which celebrates women in coffee.
Soraia’s approach to coffee farming is hands-on and meticulous. She manages every step of the process—from hand-picking cherries to processing and staff development—uncommon practices in her region where mechanical harvesting is the norm. Her son Augusto now works alongside her, continuing the family tradition and pursuit of excellence. In 2023, she introduced a new fermentation technique using a water tank, showing her drive to innovate. Among her farm’s standout offerings is the rare Arara variety, known for its excellent cup quality, resilience to disease, and smooth, complex flavor profile—making it especially prized in specialty coffee circles and a highlight of her first exports to the U.S.”
Roast:
Roasted medium and spectacularly by our friends at Obscure Coffee Roasters in Brooklyn, New York.
Josh’s notes:
New roaster! Meet Obscure from right here in our backyard of Brooklyn, New York. I have known Norberto since I started Lucienne as a nano-roaster. (Norberto is another alumni of roasting out of the apartment window- thankfully not the case anymore!) In fact he is one of the many important pillars of the local specialty scene, and he recently just opened up a brick and mortar location! Check it out if you’re in the area!
When I first tried to this coffee is immediately jumped out as a bouquet or roses that I had to have in the Lucienne lineup. I don’t get very many rose-y coffees so this was an easy choice. More specifically, this coffee presents like a floral and herbal tea, with rose petals and lemon verbena being the stars of the show. As the coffee cools, a bit of grapefruit acidity comes through to give a bit of an interesting edge to the cup, and a raw, unrefined honey sweetness and texture comes out. Given a bit of rest, the coffee only gets better. Highly recommended!
Obscure’s Notes:
“Maria Soraia comes from a family with over 35 years of experience in coffee cultivation, though it wasn’t until 2017 that their work was recognized with their first premium for specialty coffee. Her journey began in 1999, guided by her uncle who had been planting coffee in Serra do Salitre. Initially working with dairy cattle, Soraia made the switch to coffee and has since immersed herself in learning about post-harvest techniques to elevate the quality of her coffee. Her commitment has paid off with recognition from prestigious competitions like the Cup of Excellence, Minas Gerais State Coffee Quality Awards, Cerrado Mineiro Region Coffee Awards, and the Florada Contest, which celebrates women in coffee.
Soraia’s approach to coffee farming is hands-on and meticulous. She manages every step of the process—from hand-picking cherries to processing and staff development—uncommon practices in her region where mechanical harvesting is the norm. Her son Augusto now works alongside her, continuing the family tradition and pursuit of excellence. In 2023, she introduced a new fermentation technique using a water tank, showing her drive to innovate. Among her farm’s standout offerings is the rare Arara variety, known for its excellent cup quality, resilience to disease, and smooth, complex flavor profile—making it especially prized in specialty coffee circles and a highlight of her first exports to the U.S.”
Roast:
Roasted medium and spectacularly by our friends at Obscure Coffee Roasters in Brooklyn, New York.