This lot was prepared with particular care, with the intention of presenting it at competition level. Experienced pickers were hired and paid higher wages to ensure that only perfectly ripe cherries were selected directly from the branches. After harvest, the cherries were floated in clean water to remove lighter or damaged fruit, leaving only the densest and healthiest cherries for processing.

The coffee was processed using the Honey method, chosen to highlight sweetness and complexity. The cherries were depulped while leaving part of the natural mucilage around the beans to support fermentation. The coffee was then slowly sun-dried on a patio, allowing the sugars and structure of the coffee to develop gradually.

RANCHO EL SEPARO is a family farm where coffee knowledge and care have been passed from generation to generation. The farm lies in Ohuapan, in the municipality of Tlaltetela in Veracruz, at around 1,400 meters above sea level. The name El Separo was given by Senén’s grandfather, the first in the family to plant coffee on this land. His son Zenén continued the work, and today the third generation — Senén and Monika — care for the farm and its trees.

In 2021, the family stepped into the world of specialty coffee, driven by a desire to experiment, refine processing methods, and bring new meaning to their family’s coffee legacy. Their efforts have already received recognition in several competitions.

The farm follows agroecological practices: coffee grows under the natural shade of native trees, herbicides are avoided, and biodiversity is carefully protected. For the family, Rancho El Separo is more than a farm — it is a way of life they hope to carry forward.

The birth of Senén’s daughter has recently added a new symbol to this story — a reminder that the future of the farm, and the next chapter of the family’s coffee journey, continues with a new generation.

CUP OF EXCELLENCE is the world’s most respected international competition for coffee quality, organised by the Alliance for Coffee Excellence. For producers, participation represents the highest level of global recognition. The competition is built on a rigorous, blind tasting system, with coffees advancing through multiple international judging rounds. The finalists are presented at auction, where winning lots can achieve prices many times higher than standard market levels. Beyond prestige, Cup of Excellence offers something more tangible: real economic opportunity and the beginning of long-term partnerships between producers and buyers.