Colombia Elkin Guzman Filter

Tasting notes: Mango, berry compote, and baking spice.

Coffee breakdown:
Country: Colombia
Variety: Striped Red Bourbon
Process: Honey
Altitude: 1550-1700 masl

Elkin Guzman inherited El Mirador, a family heirloom from his mother, Fanny Vargas. From an early age, Elkin was drawn to applied science, and that curiosity extends directly to how he works with coffee.

He studied agricultural engineering at Cauca University in Popayan, then returned to the farm, busting to 'put into practice' what he'd learned. Furthering this and inspired by Brazilian agro-engineer Dr Flavio Borem, Elkin began developing new processing methods. One standout experiment is now known as Natural-Hydro-Honey. Cherries are picked at peak ripeness, dried naturally, rehydrated, depulped, and then processed as Honey. Sounds strange, tastes amazing. Elkin's expertise is on full display in this rare Striped Red Bourbon Honey.

Sharing is caring: Elkin also shares his knowledge with other local producers. He believes the future of coffee depends on understanding its past. Farms are multi-generational, and improving farm health and processing quality now ensures future generations can thrive. He encourages producers to see themselves not just as workers, but as coffee experts, capable of producing top-quality coffee and reaching new markets.

Red Striped Bourbon: Discovered in San Adolfo, the same region where Pink Bourbon was discovered, cherries are striking, showing orange stripes on a red background when ripe. While genetic testing hasn’t been done yet and there’s no published info, the variety is being carefully cultivated and separated until more is uncovered.

Huila, in southwestern Colombia, sits between the Central and Eastern Andes, with the Magdalena Valley down the middle. The varied elevation and climate make it one of the country’s most complex and unique coffee regions.

Even more impressive than the terrain and climate are the people producing the coffee. While Huila accounts for about 20% of Colombia’s production, 80% of its farmers manage less than three hectares. That's a lot of dedicated smallholders.