El Encanto – Colombia

We love Pink Bourbon coffees when they truly have the characteristics this variety embodies. So we couldn't be more thrilled to have this coffee on our list from Juan Saldarriaga. We don't focus on buying these kinds of varieties because they are not always so sustainable for the farmer, but in this case, Juan is well established as a producer and enjoys working with different varieties. This coffee was one of our favorites on the table, with roses, jasmine, and gin-like taste and also bright, bold fruit, and so so much complexity!

El Encanto is one of Juan's two farms, and it happens to also be his father's favorite farm, where he likes to retreat from the hustle and bustle and enjoy the beautiful views and tranquility. It's an exceptionally well-kept coffee farm, and even has a variety of gardens to show the huge range in coffee plants.

Juan Saldarriaga is a young producer who took over his family’s farms in 2012 and started to plant several different and new cultivars, everything from unusual Castillos, Caturras, and Tabis to Bourbon, Geisha, and SL28s, among others. So far he has been figuring out how each variety performs in the environment. In the future, he plans to increase the production of the varieties that thrive.