A panoramic view of Poços de Caldas easily reveals the traces of an ancient volcano around the city. Aerial photos or sightseeing from the highest peak (Serra de São Domingos, at 1,686 meters high) will show that the whole town was built inside a volcanic crater. This rich soil combined with high altitudes make this region a perfect place for specialty coffee.

With a total area of 544 km2, around 459 km2 is strictly rural and has welcomed coffee since 1860. Local producers started talking about specialty coffee, however, only in 1991. At that time, the Brazil Specialty Coffee Association (BSCA) had begun its search for high-quality lots produced in this special terroir. Years later, Bourbon Specialty Coffees officially launched its operations in Poços de Caldas in 2000. With baby steps, the culture of quality and specialty was introduced and farmers started changing their mindset.

About this region:

A huge plateau is surrounded by fields, valleys and mountains that can reach an altitude of 1,800 meters. With the mixture of steep mountains and flat areas, the municipality has two basic types of vegetation: meadows and tropical forests. Generally, winters are dry and run from April to September with an average temperature of 15ºC.

Important rivers such as the Rio Pardo, Rio Lambari, Ribeirões das Antas and Ribeirão de Poços make up the hydrographic basin in the region. Its sulfuric waters, a natural result of the volcanic soil, make Poços de Caldas an important tourist destination. The city is known for its thermal and healing water center with Spas. Coffee-wise, the region received a development boost when it welcomed the railways in 1886 and production had a more efficient outflow.

What you should know about Poços de Caldas:

• More than 100 farmers work closely with Bourbon

• Manual harvesting is mostly used in these lands.

• Naturals are the biggest hit in the region, representing 80% of the production. The other 20% are honey processed

• A huge plateau is surrounded by fields, valleys and mountains that can reach an altitude of 1,800 meters