Colombia Edinson Argote Peach Melba

Allergy warning: this coffee was processed using peach juice and pulp, so it should not be consumed by anyone with an allergy or sensitivity to peaches. 

Those of you familiar with Edinson Argote's pink and orange bourbons from earlier this year will know his coffees are always a force to be reckoned with. We're in awe of his tenacity and innovative processing styles that create incredibly delicious coffees, and this peach co-ferment is no exception.

If you're craving something loud and juicy, look no further! This coffee is practically exploding with peachy goodness, but there's a bit of nuance there as well ... sweet notes of raspberry and vanilla tie it all together to create a bold Peach Melba experience you won't soon forget.

Edinson Argote and Ángela Rojas recently joined forces to create the Quebraditas Project, which includes two farms – Chorro Alto and Quebraditas. Ángela had originally left the countryside to study nursing, but ultimately returned home during the COVID-19 pandemic to exchange her nursing career for a life in coffee.

This coffee is from Quebraditas, their family-run farm dedicated to producing premium coffee with standout and reproducible sensory profiles thanks to innovative fermentation processes, including thermal shock and yeast inoculation. They also focus on agronomic management and soil care (strategic shading, use of organic matter, maintenance of soil pH and calcium) that allows them to increase the potential of each crop. Ángela manages the administration, while Edinson oversees coffee processing and farm operations. They also collaborate with two other farms – one in La Plata, which grows varieties such as Sidra and SL28, and another in the Argentina region, while additionally purchasing coffee cherries from San Adolfo.

Their coffee farms are located at an altitude of 1600-1850 meters above sea level in the central Huila Mountains. These farms cover 18 hectares, and while most of the land is planted with traditional varieties such as Caturra and Colombia, at least 1 hectare is reserved exclusively for special varieties, including Eugenoides, Bourbon Pointu, Geisha, Java, Bourbon Chiroso, Wush Wush, Bourbon Ají, Papayo, Pacamara, Sudan Rume, and Arará. The vision is to eventually grow only these non-traditional varieties.

To process this lot, cherries were floated to remove green, overripe, and dry cherry. It was then oxidised in food-grade plastic drums for 12 hours and depulped without using water. After fermenting for 24 hours in an open tank to remove mucilage, fermentation continued for 72 hours at temperatures below 25°C with a mix of ripe peach and specific yeasts. After fermentation, the coffee was washed and dried for 42 hours at 38°C. Finally, it was stabilised and prepared for transport in GrainPro-type bags.

 

Elevation: 1850 Meters Above Sea Level

Varietal: Caturra

Price paid per kg: £17.95

Process: Peach Co-Fermented