August 2026

Ramraj Ramesh owns and manages the Cauvery Peak Estate, a 400 hectare farm located at the top of the Sheveroy Hills in Tamil Nadu. The hills reach up to 1,620 metres above sea level and are named after the local Tamil deity, Servarayan. The Servarayans are part of the southern section of the Eastern Ghats and cover around 400 square kilometres.

The area relies completely on monsoon rainfall for its water supply, which means droughts can become a serious problem if the monsoon season is poor. Because of this, it's important for farmers to grow a range of crops rather than relying on just one source of income.

Tamil Nadu is home to the Tamil people, and Tamil, one of the world's oldest living classical languages, is the state's official language and is spoken by most of the population.

To reduce risk and create a more stable income, Ramraj doesn't just produce high quality coffee. The estate also grows pepper and oranges, showing how diversifying crops can improve both sustainability and profitability. Overall, Cauvery Peak Estate is a great example of balancing environmental care, agricultural diversity, and business success.

The Ramesh family has owned the estate for around 70 years and has invested heavily in sustainable farming. They also own milling facilities, a quality testing laboratory, and an export company in the nearby city of Salem.

Although the estate doesn't use the latest technology, it is managed professionally and benefits from decades of knowledge and experience. The rich soil, strong biodiversity management, and good farming practices make the estate visually impressive and environmentally sustainable. The estate also places a strong focus on social responsibility by mainly employing female coffee pickers, paying wages above the minimum rate, and providing workers with housing, childcare, education, and meals.

This coffee is traditional in every aspect. Grown in the optimal conditions of the Sheravoy Hills, home to rich soils and high altitudes. The coffee cherries are processed using the washed method, encouraging a more classic and balanced flavour profile. While this coffee is darkly roasted, you might notice a lighter bean colour. However, the flavour notes are typically dark - think cocoa, roasted almonds and a dark syrupy treacle.

Finca Santa Elisa is located near the town of San Pedro Yepocapa in Guatemala's Acatenango region. The farm covers 506 hectares, with around 360 hectares planted with coffee. Sitting on the slopes of the Sierra Madre mountain range, the area is shaped by the dormant Acatenango volcano and the constantly active Volcán de Fuego. Rich volcanic soils, cool temperatures, and cloud forests create ideal conditions for growing high quality specialty coffee.

As one of the larger estates in the region, Finca Santa Elisa plays an important role in the local community, providing jobs and income for many people in San Pedro Yepocapa. Despite its size, the farm struggled in 2017, producing just 700 quintales of coffee cherries.

Following extensive investment and a new approach to farm management, production has increased dramatically. Now, the farm produces around 34,000 quintales of cherries.

This lot was processed by Los Volcanes Coffee at their Beneficio La Esperanza mill in Antigua. Processing coffee in this region comes with its own challenges, as volcanic ash from nearby eruptions can settle on the cherries. If the fruit isn't washed thoroughly before processing, the ash can affect the coffee's quality and cause problems with the depulping equipment.

Grown in volcanic soils in Guatemala’s Acatenango region, this coffee from Santa Elisa is a complete and well balanced classic. Roasted to highlight the natural sweetness, subtle red fruit note and honeyed florals. During the sugar browning phase of roasting, this coffee develops a rich milk chocolate flavour that makes it a versatile and accessible brew!