El Bombo
The El Bombo farm is located just outside the village of Brucelas, near the coffee centre of Pitalito. It’s here that Brayan Smith farms coffee on 6 hectares, of which 5 is planted with coffee, and 1 hectare is left to natural forest reserve.
This leads to increased biodiversity and shade for the coffee plantation, and alongside Brayan’s cattle, leads to a diverse and complementary eco-system on the farm.
Brayan only took over the farm 5 years ago, but has aimed to maintain a traditional approach, working alongside nature in order produce excellent coffee.
The Asosatus association works in the area around Pitalito; a collection of 60 coffee families that have dedicated themselves to differentiated coffees, even within the already busy market in Huila.
They distribute seeds of new varietals, and advise on alternative processing in order to create characterful and distinct profiles. This creates an interesting contrast at El Bombo; Brayan’s traditional approach juxtaposed with modern varietals and processes.
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This lot is an excellent example of this, a Bourbon Ají varietal processed with a double fermentation.
Bourbon Ají
Bourbon Ají, or ‘Chilli Bourbon’ was discovered in the area around Brucelas, named for the slight burning sensation both when eaten and when touched, similar to a chilli pepper. These cherries are picked and then fermented twice, once for 24 hours in cherry, and again for 48 hours after de-pulping.
This leads to a rich and lush flavour profile, with a complex floral and herbal aromatic profile, typical of many of the Ethiopian heirloom-derived varietals we find in Latin America, followed up by a juicy acidity and creamy body.