Brazil Machado Recanto do Engenho

This creamy Brazilian coffee comes from Recanto do Engenho, a farm in the city of Machado, Minas Geraís. The farm has been in the Moreira family for two generations, and currently under the care of Adilson Moreira Soares and his family. The city's name, "Machado", translates to "axe" in Portuguese, and likely stems from the long agricultural history in this region, particularly coffee production. Recanto do Engenho sits at 1150 meters above sea level, and is planted in a mix of varieties that are harvested together. This is a dry process coffee, meaning the whole coffee cherries are picked and dried before removing the outer fruit. While this method is often associated with more fruit-forward flavors, that's not always the case. Especially in Brazil. Adilson's coffee brews big body and bittersweetness, with background umami flavors, and hint of fruit. We found that it worked excellent in the mid-to-dark roast range, and worked quite well as espresso and brewed coffee. All coffees benefit from resting, but particularly coffee from Brazil. There can be a harshness in the freshly roasted coffee, that tends to mellow out after 48 to 72 hours time. I let my espresso roast rest for 5 days before testing (but not necessary).