Finca Las Flores, Huila, Colombia – Advanced Natural Bourbon Rojo – “A truly remarkable competition lot of an extremely rare mutation, masterfully produced by our dear friend, Jhoan Vergara”. We first met Jhoan during our sourcing trip to Colombia in 2022 alongside our friends at Cata Export. Upon returning to Huila in the spring of 2025, both Cat and Pierre were excited to reunite with us and taste the entire harvest from Las Flores. We received an invitation to their cupping lab in Bruselas, where we experienced two remarkable tables of coffees that left us in awe. The second table featured exclusively natural processed coffees, and the final cup was this very coffee. The moment we inhaled the dry fragrance, we were filled with excitement, and after completing the cupping process, we scored this specific coffee with a generous and well-deserved 89 points. Johan told us that this is his Bourbon Rojo, which is technically a red bourbon, as ‘rojo’ translates to red in Spanish. However, it turned out to be a rare mutation that is similar to Ombligon, resulting in an impressive flavour profile. The cherries from this particular lot are harvested at a maximum sugar level of 28 degrees brix. Jhoan then took us to the mill, where he demonstrated the thermal shock process applied to the cherries before fermentation begins, aimed at softening the fruit and gently caramelising the sugars. Following this, the coffee undergoes 60 hours of anaerobic fermentation, succeeded by 12 hours of oxidation. This is followed by a second anaerobic fermentation lasting 24 hours, a 30-minute hot thermal shock at 55°C, and finally, it is dried in a dehumidifier for precisely 60 hours. This exceptional attention to detail culminates in a cup unlike any we have ever tasted, and we are super excited to share this extraordinary competition lot with you all. Finca Las Flores was established more than 30 years ago by Edilberto Vergara and Nubia Ayure, initially covering 16 hectares for coffee cultivation. Following Nubia’s death in 2012, their sons, Jhoan and Diego, assumed control of the farm, introducing innovative practices in the cultivation and processing of specialty coffee. Currently, the farm yields a diverse range of high-quality coffees, such as Tabi, Bourbon Rojo, Java, Maracaturra, Bourbon Rosado, Geisha, and Chiroso. Diego oversees production, fermentation, and drying processes, guaranteeing consistent quality and reproducible flavour profiles. Their collective expertise and commitment to innovation have established Finca Las Flores as a standard of excellence in the specialty coffee industry in Colombia and worldwide. Jhoan – “As committed coffee producers, my brother and I each play vital roles in ensuring quality. We concentrate on experimenting with fermentation and processing techniques to develop unique and distinctive coffee profiles, while Diego focuses on precision in production, fermentation, and drying. Our mutual objective is to uphold high-quality standards that genuinely highlight the potential of our coffees to the world”.