A Matter of Concrete – AJÍ Colombia — Javier Alvear

Introducing our latest release for 2023, the rare and distinctive Ají coffee. While some refer to it as Bourbon Ají, it is not actually a bourbon variety. The Ají is a relatively new discovery in the coffee world and its origin remains a mystery. It is thought to be a recently discovered Ethiopian Landrace not found in many accessions. The coffee has a unique mildly spicy pepper character, followed by red fruit flavors and mild floral undertones.

This coffee is grown by producer Javier, who comes from a family of coffee pickers in Bruselas, Huila. After years of learning about coffee production, he saved enough money to start his own farm, planting Pink Bourbon initially and later switching to Ají. This coffee has a toffee-like aroma, a spectrum of fruit notes, and a clear nectarine note. The aftertaste has a tingling sensation with pronounced spice notes of cinnamon and rosehip.

The coffee is processed by fermenting the cherries for 24 hours in Grain Pro bags, followed by 70 hours of fermentation in tanks before being dried in their dryer for 12 hours and further dried on raised beds in their greenhouse. José Salazar, a neighboring farmer, submitted this coffee to the 2021 Cup of Excellence competition, where it earned 6th place with a score of 89.32.

Origin: Bruselas, Juila, Colombia
Producer: Javier Alvear
Variety: Aji
Process: Washed
Elevation: 1500 masl

Taste Profile: Rosehip, nectarine, cinnamon
Jar size: 100g