Jaguara / Brazil

Natália Brito is a second-generation coffee producer, a cupper and a trader who runs her own export company. Alongside managing her own farm, she sources coffee from producers around the Jaguara area and connects them with the speciality market. Guided by a passion for coffee inherited from her grandfather, she experiments with fermentation methods and drying processes to develop a diverse range of flavour profiles.

Having originally worked in the commercial coffee market, Natália began seeking out small-scale producers in the region with the aim of adding greater value to her operations. Today, she has built trusting relationships with quality-focused producers and supports their work in speciality coffee production. These efforts have led to lots that are remarkably distinctive and complex for Brazilian coffee.

We also purchase coffee from Augusto Borges in the same Mantiqueira de Minas region, and his coffee is exported through Natália as well.

Toca da Jaguara is a farm Natália purchased in recent years. Its history dates back to 1991, when two women, Leila and Margot, acquired a neglected piece of land. After spending many years continually improving quality, they passed the farm on upon retirement to Jaguara Coffee, which shared their values. Natália now runs it together with her father. Although small by Brazilian standards, the farm produces a striking variety of lots from its compact plots. More than 40% of the farm is protected as native vegetation, and its agroforestry system balances the use of natural resources with ecosystem conservation.

This farm's coffees were among the most memorable of our purchases this year. Every lot from Toca da Jaguara has a subtle floral character which, combined with carefully managed fermentation, gives the coffee an elegant quality. A silky mouthfeel, bright fruit notes and a sweet finish are its defining characteristics.
As each lot is very small, we are blending three lots for this release under the name Jaguara.