EXCLUSIVE LOT TO PENELOPE COFFEE
CUP SCORE - 87
SINGLE ORIGIN | LIGHT ROAST
FARM: FAZENDA DAL ALMAS
PRODUCER: VERGILIO ADRIANO MUNIZ
ORIGIN: SHIKANKONI, KAYANZA | BURUNDI
VARIETY: BOURBON
PROCESS: WAHSED
STORY: Fazenda Dal Almas has been in operation since 1942, when the Muniz family first established their coffee-growing tradition in the region. Situated in a mountainous rural landscape between 950 and 1,150 meters above sea level, the farm benefits from a favourable microclimate that supports the production of high-quality Arabica coffee. Harvesting is done manually, with pickers carefully selecting ripe cherries in clusters to ensure consistency and quality. The team working on the farm is well-trained, with skills continuously refined to improve cultivation and harvesting practices.
At Fazenda Dal Almas, several coffee varieties are grown, with a strong focus on Arara. To highlight the character of each harvest, the coffee is processed using a range of methods such as peeled cherry, de-pulped cherry, peeled pass, and natural processing. The resulting coffees present a distinctive aromatic profile, with citrus and fruity notes, a rich body, and a balanced sweetness and acidity that reflect the region’s terroir and careful processing.
FEEL GOOD: The Muniz family also places strong importance on people and community. They encourage professional development for employees, support health and wellbeing initiatives, and actively participate in local charitable activities. The family is also involved in educational efforts that introduce students to sustainable agriculture and the importance of responsible land stewardship. Environmental care has long been part of the family’s values. Over the years, the Muniz family has worked to protect water sources, restore natural springs, and conserve surrounding forest areas across their lands. Their efforts have contributed to the recovery of 21 springs and the preservation of significant native forest, with more than 30% of the landscape maintained as biodiverse woodland.
VARIETY: Arara is a relatively recent Arabica coffee variety developed in Brazil from a natural cross between Yellow Catuaí and Obatã, a cultivar derived from Timor Hybrid genetics known for resistance to disease. The variety was selected and improved through long-term breeding work by Fundação Procafé and officially released in 2012 after more than 15 years of field evaluation. Agronomically, Arara is valued for its high productivity, compact plant structure, and good resistance to leaf rust, as well as its adaptability to different growing conditions and tolerance to periods of drought. The plants produce yellow cherries and relatively large beans, and they tend to ripen later in the harvest season, which can help extend picking periods and support careful harvesting. In the cup, Arara has gained attention in Brazil’s speciality coffee sector for its balanced sweetness, smooth body, and mild, well-structured acidity, often showing notes of chocolate, nuts, caramel, and subtle fruit depending on the terroir and processing method. Because it combines strong agronomic performance with good cup potential, Arara is slowly becoming increasingly popular among Brazilian producers and is now widely planted in several coffee-growing regions of the country.
EXCLUSIVE LOT TO PENELOPE COFFEE
CUP SCORE - 87
SINGLE ORIGIN | LIGHT ROAST
FARM: FAZENDA DAL ALMAS
PRODUCER: VERGILIO ADRIANO MUNIZ
ORIGIN: SHIKANKONI, KAYANZA | BURUNDI
VARIETY: BOURBON
PROCESS: WAHSED
STORY: Fazenda Dal Almas has been in operation since 1942, when the Muniz family first established their coffee-growing tradition in the region. Situated in a mountainous rural landscape between 950 and 1,150 meters above sea level, the farm benefits from a favourable microclimate that supports the production of high-quality Arabica coffee. Harvesting is done manually, with pickers carefully selecting ripe cherries in clusters to ensure consistency and quality. The team working on the farm is well-trained, with skills continuously refined to improve cultivation and harvesting practices.
At Fazenda Dal Almas, several coffee varieties are grown, with a strong focus on Arara. To highlight the character of each harvest, the coffee is processed using a range of methods such as peeled cherry, de-pulped cherry, peeled pass, and natural processing. The resulting coffees present a distinctive aromatic profile, with citrus and fruity notes, a rich body, and a balanced sweetness and acidity that reflect the region’s terroir and careful processing.
FEEL GOOD: The Muniz family also places strong importance on people and community. They encourage professional development for employees, support health and wellbeing initiatives, and actively participate in local charitable activities. The family is also involved in educational efforts that introduce students to sustainable agriculture and the importance of responsible land stewardship. Environmental care has long been part of the family’s values. Over the years, the Muniz family has worked to protect water sources, restore natural springs, and conserve surrounding forest areas across their lands. Their efforts have contributed to the recovery of 21 springs and the preservation of significant native forest, with more than 30% of the landscape maintained as biodiverse woodland.
VARIETY: Arara is a relatively recent Arabica coffee variety developed in Brazil from a natural cross between Yellow Catuaí and Obatã, a cultivar derived from Timor Hybrid genetics known for resistance to disease. The variety was selected and improved through long-term breeding work by Fundação Procafé and officially released in 2012 after more than 15 years of field evaluation. Agronomically, Arara is valued for its high productivity, compact plant structure, and good resistance to leaf rust, as well as its adaptability to different growing conditions and tolerance to periods of drought. The plants produce yellow cherries and relatively large beans, and they tend to ripen later in the harvest season, which can help extend picking periods and support careful harvesting. In the cup, Arara has gained attention in Brazil’s speciality coffee sector for its balanced sweetness, smooth body, and mild, well-structured acidity, often showing notes of chocolate, nuts, caramel, and subtle fruit depending on the terroir and processing method. Because it combines strong agronomic performance with good cup potential, Arara is slowly becoming increasingly popular among Brazilian producers and is now widely planted in several coffee-growing regions of the country.
