Coffee friends Jose Padilla and Gonzalo Hernandez started the Coffea Diversa coffee garden in Guatemala in 2011 on the slopes of the Suchitan Volcano - a region they deemed ideal for planting their collection of rare varietals.
With over 850 specimens planted and 25 currently producing, it's the largest private collection of botanical variants in the world.
Cioccie is an incredibly rare varietal that grows wild outside the village of Jimma in Southwest Ethiopia. It has widely spaced branches and widely spaced nodes along the branches, resulting in a low fruit yield.
Its flavor is remarkably similar to Gesha, which may be unsurprising given their genetic similarities. It's incredibly floral and delicate, with jammy fruit notes and a slight brandied pineapple sweetness. A truly unique experience.
We were introduced to Jose and Gonzalo's coffee through Felipe Contreras and Jordan Cucuy from Finca Gascon, and it was another direct import for us.