This coffee is grown at an extreme altitude of 2,700 MASL in the remote highlands of Nariño, Colombia, by producer Emerson Felipe Narváez Díaz at Finca El Turpial. The lot undergoes an anaerobic washed process with 72-hour fermentation and sun-drying on raised beds. The varietal is a unique Caturra x Gesha hybrid, where Gesha has been grafted onto Caturra rootstock to combine the resilience and yields of Caturra with the cup quality of Gesha. This 2024 harvest presents a vibrant flavor profile with notes of raspberry, lime, and toffee.
Kiss the Hippo launched in 2018 as London's first carbon negative coffee roastery. Every coffee they sell is certified organic by the Soil Association and certified carbon negative, with reforestation projects in Colombia, Madagascar, Zambia, and Nepal through a partnership with Swiss nonprofit On A Mission. They pay farmers at least 50% above Fair Trade prices, often double. The roastery has won the UK Barista Championships three times, with victories by Joshua Tarlo in 2018, Paul Ross in 2019, and Paul Ross again in 2020 and now supplies seven London café locations. Sustainability extends to fully compostable pods, recyclable packaging, a Living Wage commitment, and a partnership with bio bean that turns used grounds into biofuels.
