El Vergel Genius Bourbon Colombia

Finca El Vergel is one of the oldest single estates in Tolima, Colombia, run by first generation producers, brothers Elias and Shady Bayter. We have visited El Vergel three times over the past years and are impressed with their commitment to quality year on year.

This Red Bourbon is one of the most remarkable coffees produced at El Vergel. Martha Montenegro, the mastermind behind this coffee, orchestrated a women-powered team to manage this lot. Planted back in 2016 with 5,500 coffee plants, this micro lot became Martha's playground for experimentation. Fast forward to 2018, the Women Project grew to a team of over 15. Their meticulous picking has taken quality to new heights, hitting an impressive 95% of mature cherries with every harvest.

They named this coffee “Genius Bourbon”, due to a new and innovative processing method, “mosto processed”. The coffee undergoes an extensive 84-hour fermentation in stainless steel tanks with lixiviates (from a Java fermented coffee), imparting a boost in flavor. After the fermentation, it dries for 35 days, with intermittent exposure to the sun, creating a unique profile. Finally, it goes through a mechanical drying station and to enhance the overall quality, it rests in grain pro storage for two months.

We enjoy this coffee for its creamy mouthfeel and syrupy body, with distinct flavors of cacao nibs and wine, and juicy raspberry.