We met Marino Ruiz on our visit to Huila last fall. He and his family have a beautiful farm that rests on the cliffs of Pital. This is one of many new Pink Bourbons we are releasing this season as we really start to dive deep on this region and variety. In the cup we find dried strawberry, lemon, and raspberry.
Pink Bourbon
Pital, Huila
1,650 masl
July, 2023
Hand-picked at peak ripeness. Floated to further remove defects and de-pulped on the day of harvest. Dry-fermented for 48 hours. Dried on raised beds.
Marino Ruiz is one of the first producers we've met through a new project we just started in southern Huila. The project aims to increase the quality of coffee coming from this region by incentivizing producers with premiums for higher-quality coffees. We've been captivated by this place and the mystery behind the origins of Pink Bourbon, and are motivated by how much is yet to be learned and improved upon in this region. As this project continues, we expect to shed more and more light on these mysteries and why Huila has been so important in the development of specialty coffee.
Pink Bourbon is a relatively new variety being grown primarily in and around Huila, Colombia. The variety has been identified genetically as an Ethiopian Landrace, but unfortunately, we cannot be any more specific as to its origins until there is a larger genetic database.
The cost of getting a coffee from cherry to beverage varies enormously depending on its place of origin and the location of its consumption. The inclusion of price transparency is a starting point to inform broader conversation around the true costs of production and the sustainability of specialty coffee as a whole.