Mandela XO

We first tried the XO process from Café Granja La Esperanza in 2022 and became fascinated by its cognac, whiskey and ripe grape notes. From the initial sip, it resembles the perfect cocktail showing you spice, sweetness, tartness and eventually leaves a warm and enjoyable aftertaste.

The XO Process

After selecting the ripest cherries and submerging them to filter out the less flavorful ones, they are fermented for 70 hours in grainpro bags, gently rotating them every five hours which allows them to evenly soak in their natural juices and essence, enhancing its acidity and fruity notes.

Afterwards, cherries go into a three-day, temperature controlled mechanical drying process to lock in flavors before drying them in raised beds for an additional 15-20 days. They are then stored in climate controlled conditions at 18-29 C.