Carnival Curiosities- Java Blossom - Colombia, Blueberry sweets, Honeydew Melon, Kiwi

Roaster notes: "We have been loving drinking this coffee, it has been the massive winner in our weekly blind coffee tastings.  This coffee is complex, elegant, floral, with a gentle melon and kiwi finish.  Simply it is super delightful and needs to be tried.  We have been enjoying this coffee as a pour over and brewed with our AeroPress".

From the volcanic slopes of Fresno, Tolima, this Java variety is a masterclass in innovation from Elias & Shady Bayter at El Vergel Estate.

Processed using a pioneering Natural + Carbonic Maceration method, this cup bursts with floral aromatics and sweet complexity — think jasmine, chamomile, brown sugar, crisp apple, and watermelon.

This Java Reserve lot represents the first Carbonic Maceration process performed on this variety at El Vergel.  For 96 hours, ripe cherries ferment inside sealed tanks where CO₂ is injected up to 6 bars, gently breaking down the cascara and creating an anaerobic environment that enhances flavour complexity.

After fermentation, the coffee is sun-dried on raised beds for 25 days, then stabilised for 30 days in GrainPro bags to preserve flavour and aroma.

The result: a beautifully clean, floral, and layered cup that highlights the precision and artistry behind every stage of its creation.

Back in 1995, the Bayter family began their agricultural journey at El Vergel Estate, nestled in the lush hills of Fresno, Tolima. Their focus was avocados — until 2006, when a price crash forced them to rethink everything. Turning challenge into opportunity, they planted their first coffee trees — and a new legacy began.

By 2016, with expert guidance from Miguel Jimenez, they shifted toward specialty coffee, introducing high-quality varieties and pioneering new post-harvest techniques.
Two years later, they began experimenting with natural fermentation, setting the stage for one of Colombia’s most innovative coffee operations.

Their commitment to research and quality led to the development of their celebrated Koji fermentation process, redefining what was possible in green coffee production.
Today, led by Elias and Shady Bayter with their mother Martha Montenegro, El Vergel Estate blends technology, sustainability, and community development to produce coffees that are as thoughtful as they are extraordinary.