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    Racemosa

    £50.00
    As low as: £200.00
    £50.00
    91.25 Cup Score

    Racemosa is not just a coffee—it’s an extraordinary discovery, considered one of the rarest coffee species on Earth. Native to the coastal sand forests of southern Mozambique and northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, this exceptional coffee thrives in an environment unlike any other. Its naturally tiny, lentil-sized beans yield only 100g of cherry per plant—translating to a mere 10g of green coffee beans. This extreme scarcity makes Racemosa a true treasure for coffee enthusiasts and a symbol of exclusivity.

    Important: Racemosa coffee may not be suitable for perforated drum roasters due to the small size of its beans. Please consider this when selecting your roasting equipment.

    What sets Racemosa apart isn’t just its rarity but its remarkable resilience. Growing at low altitudes, it has evolved to withstand high temperatures, drought, and sandy soils—conditions that would challenge most coffee plants. Its cultivation is entirely natural, requiring no chemical pesticides or herbicides, as it flourishes within its native ecosystem. With a brief six-week harvest season during the wet, rainy months, Racemosa is as sustainable as it is rare.

    The flavour profile of Racemosa is like nothing you’ve tasted before. Its unique characteristics redefine coffee, offering a sensory journey that expands the boundaries of what coffee can be. Whether you’re drawn to its exclusivity, captivated by its heritage, or curious about its unparalleled flavour, Racemosa delivers an experience unlike any other.

    This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join an elite group of roasters who’ve had the chance to roast and explore Racemosa. Be part of coffee history and discover a cultivar that represents the future of coffee’s diversity and resilience. 

    Please note: We kindly request all individuals purchasing Racemosa to share their roasting insights and learnings with the producer. Your feedback is invaluable in helping us understand and improve this unique coffee, and it will be shared with the wider coffee community to support collective growth and learning.

    This is a rare find

    These coffees are unusual and typically don't last long

    Processing method
    Washed
    Main flavour notes
    Weird | Cannabis | Dried Tomato | Umami | *Not Like Arabica*
    Varietal
    Heirloom wild genetics
    Harvest period
    November 2024 - January 2025
    Altitude
    120 masl
    Screen
    10-12
    Species
    Racemosa
    Original packaging
    Vacuum Packed
    Region
    Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa (Hluhluwe)
    See on a map
    Recommended brewing method
    Pour Over, V60, Aeropress
    Show More
    0kg left
    Out of Stock

    Samples Unavailable

    Roasted samples are roasted using the most suitable representative profiles and may delay delivery.

    This is a rare find

    These coffees are unusual and typically don't last long

    Available Now

    In warehouse and ready to go

    Pay in your preferred currency

    We support +30 currencies

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    Relaxed payment terms to suit you

    Cupping Report

    By IFES campus Venda Nova do Imigrante from Campus Venda Nova do Imigrante
    91.25
    CUP SCORE
    Fragrance
    9.0
    Flavor
    9.25
    Acidity
    9.0
    Aftertaste
    9.25
    Balance
    9.0
    Body
    9.25
    Overall
    9.25

    Cupping Notes

    This rare coffee offers a complex and balanced profile, with fragrant notes of passion fruit, cannabis, basil, mushrooms, passion fruit flower, dried tomato, peach, cedar, mint, and yellow fruits, complemented by a fresh, sweet sugar cane aroma. The flavour is equally intricate, featuring dried tomato, basil, cannabis, rosemary, and a savoury umami quality. It has an intense citric acidity that lingers with long salivation, a clean and creamy body, and a long, sweet, and pleasant aftertaste.
    Report By
    IFES campus Venda Nova do Imigrante

    Campus Venda Nova do Imigrante

    Brazil

    Roasting Recommendation

    Roasting these small beans requires a careful approach, as their subtle first crack is often hard to detect—consider using a stethoscope or roast monitoring software for assistance. Their size also makes them prone to burning, so precision is essential. As a novel coffee species, there’s still plenty of scope for developing optimal roast profiles, offering a unique opportunity for experimentation. Start with a lower charge temperature to account for their small size and unlock their potential flavours.

    Roasting Recommendation By
    Charles Denison

    Cultivar

    South Africa

    Meet your producer

    Name Shamba Nathi
    Year Started 2015
    Location KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa See on a map

    Over the past eight years, we have sourced and germinated nearly 10,000 Racemosa seedlings, representing around 90% of all known Racemosa plants in the world. Each plant produces only about 100g of cherries—equivalent to a mere 10g of green coffee beans—making this quite possibly the world’s rarest coffee available for purchase.

    Cultivating Racemosa is no small feat. Germination is exceptionally challenging, and the time to production is lengthy. Adding to the difficulty is the diminutive size of the beans—about the size of a lentil—making harvesting, processing, and roasting a delicate process. These rare beans seem to find every possible crack to fall through!

    Racemosa’s harvest window is equally unique: just six weeks, compared to over six months for Arabica. However, this coincides with the wet, rainy season, presenting additional challenges for drying.Our farms are located in South Africa, within the stunning province of KwaZulu-Natal. The original plantation is nestled in Hluhluwe, on the renowned “Elephant Coast,” while our second plantation is in Ballito, along the picturesque “Dolphin Coast.”

    Meet your sourcing partner

    Cultivar Racemosa

    Countries of operation South Africa

    Our sourcing partner for Racemosa coffee, Charles Denison of Cultivar Coffee South Africa, is a true expert in the coffee world. With a career rooted in both academic and practical experience, Charles has completed a Master’s thesis on smallholder coffee production, traded on the New York Coffee Exchange, and worked extensively with farmers to promote sustainable agricultural practices.



    As South Africa’s only independent licensed Q-Grader certified by the Coffee Quality Institute, Charles has spent time in the coffee fields of eight major growing regions around the globe. His career spans every step of the coffee supply chain, from working with the world’s largest arabica suppliers to collaborating with boutique micro-roasters across Europe and America. He has also contributed to the prestigious Cup of Excellence program.



    At Cultivar Coffee, Charles excels at building meaningful connections between producers and specialty markets, ensuring quality and sustainability are upheld at every stage. His depth of knowledge and dedication make him an invaluable part of bringing unique coffee like Racemosa to life.
    £50.00
    As low as: £200.00
    £50.00
    Cupping Score
    91.25
    Processing method
    Washed
    Varietal
    Heirloom wild genetics
    Main flavour notes
    Weird | Cannabis | Dried Tomato | Umami | *Not Like Arabica*
    View full details

    Available Now

    In warehouse and ready to go

    Pay in your preferred currency

    We support +30 currencies

    Buy now, pay later

    Relaxed payment terms to suit you