Venezuela Santa Cruz de Mora

Venezuelan coffee is renowned for its rich, distinctive flavor, shaped by the country’s diverse climatic conditions and fertile soils. Coffee is grown mainly in regions such as the Andes and the coastal mountain ranges, with a long cultivation tradition dating back to the 18th century. Beans from these high-altitude areas benefit from ideal conditions that enhance their delicacy and complexity. Venezuelan coffee is known for its balanced cup profile, with hints of chocolate, nuts, and gentle acidity, and it has historically been appreciated both domestically and on international markets.

This particular coffee comes from the state of Mérida, from the processing station in the town of Santa Cruz de Mora, where dozens of smallholder farmers deliver their harvested coffee. Venezuela is a very mountainous country, which is why all harvesting is done by hand with a focus on picking only ripe coffee cherries. The process begins with floating, where any unripe cherries and low-density materials such as twigs and leaves are separated out. After depulping, the coffee is transferred to a fermentation tank, where it ferments for 18 hours to remove any remaining mucilage from the parchment. Finally, before bagging, the coffee is size-sorted.

Many smallholder farmers in the country continue to favor organic and traditional agricultural practices, ensuring that the coffee retains its unique profile. Despite economic challenges, efforts are being made to revive this once-thriving sector, as coffee remains an inseparable part of Venezuelan culture and economy.