We work very closely with Osito, an exporter in Colombia. A company that shares our values when it comes to working on the ground with, and for, the producer. Osito was created by Jose Losada and Kyle Bellinger, two really great coffee people intent on doing things right with coffee producers. Colombian exporters have a reputation for exploiting coffee producers, so it’s so refreshing to be working with people who care deeply for the wellbeing of the producer.

Maria’s farm is located in one of my favourite regions of Colombia: San Agustín. San Agustín is in the south end in the province of Huila and it’s a very dramatic region, with lots of cliffs, waterfalls, and deep valleys. More importantly, the coffee from San Agustín has a distinct fruity character that I have always gravitated towards. This specific lot from Maria is 100% Pink Bourbon variety and it certainly delivers on the fruit, but it also offers a candied macadamia nut note that rounds out the cup in a very memorable way.

Pink Bourbon is a hybrid between Yellow and Red Bourbon. In my experiences with the plant, it doesn’t behave like a traditional Bourbon in that it is hardier and more resistant to disease. The coffee bean also doesn’t look like a Bourbon, but more like a Typica or Geisha. The tree looks like a cross between the Colombia variety and a Typica.

In the cup, my experiences with this variety have been awesome – tending to a more exotic cup profile that stands out from the more traditional Colombian varieties and resembles traits of Geishas, Ethiopian, and Kenyan coffees.

The coffee first underwent an anaerobic fermentation in cherry for 15 hours. The coffee was then de-pulped and aerobically fermented in pulp for 18 hours. The coffee was then washed and dried slowly on beds. The result: tasty!

- Sebastian