Luz Helena Salazar

With its reddish-pink cherry hue and exceptional cup quality, the Pink Bourbon variety has earned a reputation for being both visually striking and remarkably flavourful. While its exact origins remain unconfirmed, it is widely believed to have emerged as a natural mutation at 2,100masl in the San Adolfo region of Huila, Colombia, around 1980. Its high-altitude birthplace has made Pink Bourbon a favourite among coffee farmers and roasters.

Initially, Pink Bourbon was thought to be a mutation of the Red and Yellow Bourbon varieties. However, some researchers have challenged this theory, proposing instead that Pink Bourbon may trace its lineage to an Ethiopian landrace variety. Pink Bourbon variety is adaptable to specific growing conditions. Pink Bourbon is a high altitude coffee variety, thriving best at elevations between1,700 to 2,100masl This elevation range is crucial for developing the complex flavours and vibrant acidity that Pink Bourbon is known for.

Luz Helena, and the team of pickers selectively harvest only the ripest cherries. These are then transported to La Leona sorting area, where the team meticulously hand-sorts and float them to eliminate any low-density, underripe, or defective beans. Once sorted, the coffee cherries are packaged in grain pro bags and transported to Cofinet’s processing centre, La Pradera. The cherries then go through another round of floating to remove any lingering under-ripe cherries, before they undergo a 30-hour underwater fermentation—a critical step that enhances the coffee's flavour profile. This controlled fermentation process allows the sugars, organic acids, and other compounds within the cherries to break down gradually, stimulating the development of a delicate yet interesting profile. The 30-hour fermentation period is carefully calibrated to strike the perfect balance between developing flavour complexity and preserving the coffee's inherent qualities.

After fermentation, the cherries are pulped, and the mucilage is thoroughly washed away. The water used in the washing process is recycled and reused for floating subsequent batches of cherries. The wastewater generated during the washed process is then treated using a green filtration system. This system filters the water through a series of specialized tanks before irrigating it into vetiver grass beds. Through this natural filtration process, the water is purified and released as oxygen. As a result, no contaminated water is discharged from the processing center, ensuring an environmentally sustainable operation.