Colombia Luis Marcelino Aji 200g

In the cup, the strawberry was the main thing: fresh, but also a little more jammy. At times, we had the impression of those yoghurt-and-strawberry chocolates appearing in the flavour too. There is no doubt that a lot is going on here, and sensory boredom is not really an option. We completed the flavour profile with notes of mango and sea buckthorn to highlight the fresh, soft sweetness and intense acidity that stays with us long after the last sip. In truth, the range of associations was almost endless, so we narrowed it down to the notes that stood out the most and best captured this juicy, ripe fruitiness.

We write the variety simply as Aji, though its fuller name is Bourbon Aji. The name comes from… a pepper. Farmers in southern Huila noticed the distinctive aroma of the cherries, reminiscent of a small chilli pepper. Here comes the plot twist, though: genetic testing has shown that it is not a direct descendant of classic Bourbon, but a variety of Ethiopian origin.

The coffee and its processing come from Luis Marcelino of Aroma Nativo in Pitalito. The name Hydro Honey may sound fancy, but it is not just a pretty label. Behind it stands a specific, multi-stage process. Only the ripest cherries go into processing, first fermenting in a controlled anaerobic environment. The coffee is then depulped and pre-dried. Later, it returns to the tanks for a rehydration stage with selected yeasts and bacteria, before moving to raised beds, where it dries for up to 26 days. Finally, it goes through three months of stabilisation under controlled conditions. This is exactly the process that helps build an equally layered profile: intense, juicy and long-lasting.