Colombia Jairo Arcila - Honey Pink Bourbon Strawberry and Wine Yeast

Strawberry, nougat, cacao nibs, roses, caramel

Created by Jairo Arcila in Finca Villarazo, which is seated on fertile volcanic land, this coffee uses Pink Bourbon varietal, a rare cultivar created from the hybrid of Red Bourbon and Yellow Bourbon. This coffee varietal stands out in every way, from the striking pink color of its ripe coffee cherries to the sweetly complex flavor of its beans.

Even in ideal growing conditions, Pink Bourbon is challenging to cultivate. In addition to meticulous plant maintenance, farmers must isolate their crops to encourage successful cross-pollination and the ongoing production of pink fruit. Harvesting also requires extra diligence: coffee pickers look for subtle color nuances that separate under-ripe cherries from mature ones. Given all the variables that need to align, this lot seems almost miraculous. Elegant and balanced with sweet floral tones, this is a truly breathtaking cup profile.

For this microlot, this coffee was exposed to a dry anaerobic fermentation period of 72 hours with the pulp on. During this fermentation stage, strawberry and wine yeast were added. Afterward, cherries were pulped and then left to dry on raised beds with strawberries placed amongst the coffee until the ideal moisture content was achieved.

The results are an outstanding and perfumed strawberry notes with nougats with a balanced notes of cacao and caramel and lingering roses in the aftertaste.

In addition to cultivating coffee, Jairo and Luz Helena also grow other fruits like mandarin oranges on the farm. 

Jairo Arcila is a third generation coffee grower in Quindío, Colombia. Married to Luz Helena Salazar they had two children together: Carlos and Felipe Arcila, the co-founders of Cofinet.

We have a blog post on this coffee. Read it here.