This fun and exciting Bourbon blend from Ticuna is comprised of two varieties that are almost always separated. However, this year’s extremely limited yields led José and Kyle to decide to blend them together. In the cup we find a deep, almost jam-like sweetness, ripe berries, pink grapefruit, and subtle orange blossom.
Yellow Bourbon & Pink Bourbon
Picuma, Suaza, Huila
1,500 masl
August, 2021
Hand picked at peak ripeness. Floated to further remove defects. Submerged in 2% saltwater solution for 24 hours in order to kill pathogens while also promoting the salt-tolerant bacteria, Lactobacillus. Depulped. Dry fermented in parchment for an additional 24 hours. Washed. Dried on shaded raised beds until moisture reaches ~10%.
ABOUT TICUNA
This is our second year working with the coffees from José & Kyle's passion project called Ticuna. This particular blend comes from their farm El Mirador in Suaza. We are honored to have the opportunity to work with these coffees, as we have watched this project slowly take shape over the course of many years and many hours of dedicated hard work. These are some of the most beautiful and exciting coffees we get to work with throughout the year, and we are filled with gratitude to be entrusted with these extremely sought after coffees.
ABOUT BOURBON
Bourbon is the most famous of the Bourbon-descended varieties. It is a tall variety characterized by relatively low production and excellent cup quality, but is susceptible to all the major coffee plant diseases. In the early 1700’s French missionaries carried Bourbon from Yemen to Bourbon Island (now Réunion), giving it the name it has today. The variety spread to other parts of the world beginning in the mid-1800’s as the missionaries moved to establish footholds in Africa and the Americas. Today, in Latin America, Bourbon has largely been replaced by varieties that descend from it—notably Caturra, Pacas, Catuai, and Mundo Novo—although Bourbon itself it is still cultivated in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Peru.
ABOUT PINK BOURBON
Pink Bourbon is a variety known for the complexity of its acidity and fruit characteristics. The physical look of the seeds and plant, along with its rather distinct flavor profile, point towards it being some sort of Ethiopian Landrace variety. However, to our knowledge Pink Bourbon has not yet been genetically tested, so we cannot say with certainty what exactly it is. Working with our partners at World Coffee Research we hope to have this variety tested in the near future.
Pricing Details
FARM GATE (LOCAL)
2.5MM COP/Carga
FARM GATE (USD)
~$6.76/KG
FOB
$8.69/KG
FOT
$10.81/KG
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.