Colombia
Adrian Lasso
Huila
1780-1900 masl
Pink Bourbon
Oxidation Washed
Hot/Cold Quench
Anaerobic fermentation

Mandarin, lemongrass and ginger candy.

This lot is something special: Cupping coffee (variable reduced QC method) is an essential part of our weekly operation. We get sent lots of samples as preshipments- part of our coffee scheduling for locking down coffees for the months to come. To be honest, more often than not, it's business as usual. There's generally consensus and maybe a few spilts due to personal preference, but all in all, it's business as usual. This lot from Adrian Lasso stopped us in our tracks and kept us coming back for more- its most memorable feature, how its flavours modulate as it cools. The 'secret recipe' is a blend of traditional cultivation and innovative processing with an unwavering adherence to consistency across the lot.   

Alright, I've got a pen...what's the recipe?:

1. Selection & Oxidation – The cherries are carefully selected and classified. After being washed, they undergo a 24-hour oxidation process. This period of oxidation allows natural enzymes to enhance the bean's unique aromatic compounds

2. Anaerobic Fermentation – The cherries are de-pulped and placed in plastic bags for 60 hours of fermentation without oxygen.

3. Quenching (Hot & Cold Immersion) – Get your buckets ready, this step is key! The beans are first soaked in hot water (50°C) and then rapidly cooled in cold water (20°C) for 30 minutes. This pioneering technique opens up the pores of the beans then locks all those aromatic compounds released during fermentation so things stay complex but more crucially, stable.

Who do you think you are, Pink Boubon?: Initially thought to be a hybrid of Red and Yellow Bourbon varieties, recent genetic testing has revealed that the secret to this prized varietal characterised by its pinkish-red cherries is in actuality a Ethiopian Landrace.   

Pristine Precision Drying: Not just a fancy-sounding name. For a competition caliber lot like this, standard air drying simply won't do. With our flavours and aromas locked tight and fermentation finished, the beans are dried in a hermetically sealed stainless-steel dehumidifier. It takes between 36-40 hours until they reach the perfect humidity level of 11%.

To enhance the flavours even more, the coffee is rested for a week before it's stored and ready for export.

The secret ingredient is belief. Nah, just kidding: It’s the addition of Lactic Acid Bacteria as part of the fermentation process gives the coffee a creamy texture and a refined, sophisticated profile. A key contributor to the multi-layered taste experience that blends mouthfeel, complexity, and exceptional depth.