Very Special
Unlike most top-of-the-game green coffee lots, this one came with minimal marketing materials—a brief info card and a handful of blurry images. All the talking was done at the cupping table; its classy flavours and presence blew our minds away.
Whether it’s because of Javier’s working precision, the properties of this unknown varietal, or both, its profile is neat and delightful. A single mouthful brings hints of yellow fruits, berries, caramel and florals. Everything everywhere all at once. Very Special.
About Javier and his farm
Javier Quintero’s farm is called Buena Vista, and it’s located in Inza, Cauca, Colombia. The coffee grows at ~1600-1700 metres above sea level in volcanic ash soil.
The trees
About the varietal
Cofinet, the importer, says:
“This variety was discovered in Inza, Cauca when a coffee tree was found to look very different from the typical coffee grown in the region.
This unknown variety had a higher yield and was more resistant. As a result, some farmers began to grow this variety. Subsequently, the seeds were studied by a laboratory in London which found that the genetics and structure were similar to Bourbon Aruzi, a variety grown in Ethiopia.”
We requested more information about any progress in the research, but so far, all we know is that this may be the “Colombian version of the Bourbon Aruzi”.
About the process
This coffee is harvested following strict ripeness criteria, floated and hand-sorted to remove defects. Cherries are then fermented underwater for 30 hours, followed by the de-pulping stage. The parchment is finally gently washed and dried in a temperature-controlled environment until achieving Javier’s ideal moisture content.
