Sweet, floral with notes of jasmine and rose. Apple and kiwifruit complete a silky mouthfeel. Luis Anibal Calderon’s specialty coffee, grown at his Villa Betulia farm, is a triumph of persistence and passion. His journey, from near closure to a beacon of exotic coffee varietals (including this Pink Bourbon), is a testament to his commitment. We paid 116% above the Fair Trade Price for this coffee. Learn why. This unique micro-lot is composed entirely of the Pink Bourbon varietal. The origin of this varietal is unknown, but it is speculated to have been a mutation occurring at an elevation of 2100 MASL in San Adolfo, Huila. In 2011, Luis faced the possibility of losing his farm to foreclosure. His primary income source was selling coffee on the C-market, where prices barely covered production costs and loan repayments for the land he had purchased to expand his farm. In search of a solution, Luis turned to his local Specialty Coffee Association. Although their offer to pay 15% above the C-price didn’t fully compensate for the extra effort involved in producing specialty-grade coffee, it was enough to sustain him and sparked his interest in this sector. Motivated, Luis planted 5,000 Geisha trees in 2012. After a long three-year wait for the trees to fruit, he became a firm believer in the specialty coffee sector. In 2015, Luis embarked on a mission to convert his entire farm to exotic coffee varieties. More than half a decade later, his farm, Finca Villa Betulia, is a model for specialty coffee production in Acevedo, Huila. He now grows a range of exotic coffees, including Red Gesha, Sidra, Wush Wush, and Chilli Bourbon. Luis selects only the ripest cherries for this coffee. After keeping them in an oxygen-rich environment for a day, the cherries undergo a closely monitored washed process.
