Arbaey Ortega, Colombia

About this coffee

Finca El Diviso is where Don Arbey has cultivated specialty coffee for the past three years, building on 23 years of family and neighbour collaboration. He grows two distinct varieties: Pink Bourbon and Bourbon Ají. Like Pink Bourbon, Bourbon Ají is an emerging varietal out of Huila, Colombia, and isn’t actually a Bourbon varietal at all. In fact, like Pink Bourbon, it shows a genetic similarity to Ethiopian landrace. The varietal takes its name from producers who noticed the similarity of the tree’s cherries to the Ají pepper—unique in their colour, shape, and subtle spicy aroma. This release marks the first time Seven Seeds has purchased this intriguing new varietal. His processing method begins with the selective harvesting of only fully ripe coffee cherries. These cherries are bagged for an initial 12-hour anaerobic fermentation. Following this, the coffee is dry-pulped and placed back into bags for a second anaerobic fermentation lasting 36 hours. Finally, the coffee is washed and moved to drying beds for approximately 20 days. It’s a thorough process that has resulted in an incredibly clean, vibrant, thought-provoking lot. Producers like Arbey are a perfect example of the exciting things emerging from Huila, Colombia.