Who is Silvio Leite?

Sílvio Leite is one of the world's most renowned coffee cuppers, with over 30 years of experience in coffee quality control spanning from the green coffee classification table to tenured Cup of Excellence head judge. For decades Sílvio has worked with growers in the Chapada Diamantina coffee region to improve quality and bring their unique coffees to market. A few years ago, he struck out on his own as a coffee grower and, unsurprisingly, found immediate success. We sat down with Sílvio to ask him about his new venture.

Silvio, from your perspective, why should a buyer seek out a microlot? And what makes the microlot from the Piatã region so surprising?

In a microlot, which can come from anywhere in the world, you are looking for something unique, something that represents a very special terroir. Think Kenya, or Ethiopia, or Central America—and now, some really special Brazilian terroirs, which are producing quality that no one could have imagined. Everyone thinks of Brazil as a great supplier [of commercial coffee], but not a place for specialty coffees, but with every harvest this perception is changing, and more people are recognizing that Brazil is the home of extremely high quality microlots. Some highlights are Alto Caparaó, Campo das Vertentes, and Mantiqueira [de Minas]. And I'd especially point out the small municipality of Piatã, which is home to almost 20 percent of the winners of Cup of Excellence Brazil. This is due not just to the care of the small producers, but also the specific conditions of the region. More specifically, in agronomic terms, the earth is optimal and rainfall is minimal. The result in the cup is surprising, with notes of molasses, lemon grass, and Sicilian lemon. It's something really special.

You are known worldwide for your experience and knowledge of coffee. We know that Brazil is a major [commercial] producer of coffee. What does Brazil need to do to also be known as a producer of high-quality coffees, in your opinion?
I've had a happy 40-year career [in coffee], and for the past 30 years or more I've had the privilege of tasting coffees from growing regions around the world. Having chosen this path of professional coffee taster, I've had, and continue to have, access to the best coffees in the world. Because of the volume of coffee Brazil has supplied to the world, she has never been seen as a marketplace for quality coffees. This began to change 25 years ago after the creation of the Cup of Excellence Brazil, whose protocols for evaluating specialty coffees revolutionized coffee tasting around the world. Step by step, Brazil has been gaining a reputation as a producer of specialty coffees—coffees grown in a variety of Brazilian regions and diverse terroirs. These coffees have very interesting and varied differences in quality attributes, with characteristic flavor notes of molasses, cane sugar, red and yellow fruits. Of course, the predominant flavor is that of coffee; these are just small, distinctive notes one picks up on the palate and in the aftertaste and lingering flavor. I think that as American consumers (the largest in terms of volume) begin to experience these coffees, their perception is beginning to change. By trying unique and different microlots, as well as blends, people are beginning to appreciate the high quality of Brazilian coffees.

Americans love coffee, and they have easy access to coffees from every region of the world. What would you say to convince them to try Brazilian coffees, be they blends or microlots from various Brazilian regions?
One time a group of Scandinavians and Norwegians said to me, "Silvio, Brazilian coffee is easy to drink, and it's the kind of coffee you'd want to drink any time of day." This idea works around the world and also in America. Brazilian coffee is smooth, non-acidic, and balanced. Drink it and savor it, and you'll want another. It is coffee that makes you happy and that you can enjoy at any time.