Producer: Franky Hoyos
Farm: El Encanto
Region: Pitalito, Huila
Variety: Bourbon Aji
Process: Advanced Natural Thermo Shock
Altitude: 1650 masl
Harvested: 2026
Cupping notes: Hubba Bubba Bubble gum, red fruits, blueberry, citrus fruits. Candy-like and fruity, with bright sweetness.
This Bourbon Ají comes from Finca El Encanto in Pitalito, Huila, Colombia, where generations of coffee-growing experience meet a modern and experimental approach to processing.
Located at 1,650 metres above sea level, El Encanto is a 14.5-hectare family farm led by Franky Hoyos. The coffee grows beneath native and fruit trees, in conditions that allow the cherries to mature slowly and develop naturally before harvest.
Over the years, the family has gradually renewed the farm, replacing more common coffee plants with rare and distinctive varieties including Gesha, Java, Caturro Chiroso, Pink Bourbon and Bourbon Ají. Their aim is not simply to grow unusual varieties, but to understand how carefully designed fermentation methods can bring out the individual character of each one.
Bourbon Ají is a fascinating variety that has become increasingly recognised for its quality and distinctive sensory potential. At El Encanto, it is paired with a complex process developed to build intensity while maintaining structure and clarity in the final cup. The process begins with the careful hand selection of ripe cherries to ensure consistent sugar content and an even fermentation. The whole cherries are then placed in bags for 70 hours of controlled oxidation, initiating the development of aromatic compounds and sweetness. After this initial stage, the coffee is repulped and transferred into sealed 210-litre tanks for 60 hours of anaerobic fermentation. A specially selected fruit-based yeast culture is introduced to guide the fermentation and further develop the coffee’s aromatic character. The coffee then undergoes thermal shock, which rapidly stabilises the fermentation and helps preserve definition and clarity. Finally, it is mechanically dried for 48 hours under carefully controlled conditions before resting for 15 days. This stabilisation period allows the coffee to settle and fully integrate before milling.
Transparency.
What we paid:
-Coffee: 21€/Kg
-Shipping: 1.50€/Kg
-Packaging, labelling and sorting: 2€
Quantity bought: 70 Kg
