Colombia Piendamo Pink Bourbon Washed Microlot

The Pink Bourbon varietal is one of the most celebrated varieties in specialty coffee, prized for its vibrant character, remarkable sweetness, and exceptional clarity in the cup.

This microlot comes from Piendamó in Colombia's Cauca region, where smallholder farmers cultivate coffee on the western slopes of the Central Cordillera at elevations of 1,800–2,050 metres above sea level. Cool temperatures, frequent cloud cover, and nutrient-rich loam and clay soils create ideal growing conditions, allowing cherries to develop slowly and build outstanding sweetness and complexity.

The lot was sourced through Comepcafe, who worked closely with producers across the region to separate and collect Pink Bourbon cherries. Every farmer's lot was assessed individually, with only the highest-scoring coffees selected for this release. Initially, there was uncertainty over whether enough exceptional Pink Bourbon would be available to create a dedicated microlot, making this release particularly special.

Varietal

Originally identified in Colombia in 2010, Pink Bourbon quickly gained attention for its extraordinary cup profile. While it was first believed to be a mutation of the traditional Bourbon variety, later DNA analysis revealed it to be genetically closer to ancient Ethiopian landraces. This discovery helped explain the variety's distinctive flavour complexity and has further cemented its reputation as one of the several incredibly exciting coffees in specialty coffee today.

Process

Cherries are picked by hand, before they are cleaned and floated to ensure only the ripest cherries make it into the final selection. The cherries are then pulped, fermented in
fermentation tanks for 8-18 hours and then washed with clean water.

Then the parchment beans are placed onto raised beds in parabolic tents with regulated airflow, ensuring slow, even drying to 12% moisture content before they are milled and prepared for shipment.