Flower Child Coffee

From Finca Arashi in Saragura, Loja, Abel Salinas grows a Cup of Excellence–winning Mejorado—a cross of Ethiopian Landrace and Bourbon. The washed process includes a 24-hour dry fermentation before washing and 15-day greenhouse drying, yielding a bigger-bodied cup with syrupy stone fruit, raspberry, nectarine, and citrus that brighten as it cools. The result is a clean, balanced, and exceptionally well-executed coffee that showcases both the variety's pointed fruit and florality alongside Bourbon's full mouthfeel.

Carlos Mario's Pink Bourbon comes from Pitalito, Huila, in Colombia's prime coffee region, grown across two farms he's expanded over fifteen years. Hand-selected ripe cherries were fermented in-cherry for 24 hours, then depulped and fermented for 60 hours, washed, and dried on raised beds to 10.2% moisture. The cup is noticeably lively with juicy-fruit saturation, offering a kenyan-like intensity balanced by round body and bright red fruit punch—guava, raspberry, melon, and stone fruit notes with red apple acidity. Pink Bourbon is a landrace varietal that has reshaped Colombian specialty farming, and this micro-lot exemplifies why: exceptional cup quality at origin, equally rewarding in immersion and filter methods.

From Santa Maria in Huila, Colombia, this decaf retains impressive complexity without the caffeine. The rounded mouthfeel and almond butter notes suggest careful processing that preserves the bean's natural oils and sweetness. Tamarind acidity and brown sugar backbone create balance—this isn't a muted decaf, but a full-flavored cup that stands on its own merit.

Remera is a prize lot from Kayanza, Burundi, produced at a washing station founded by farmers Picasso, Zephyrin, and Jeremiah who've built an innovative specialty supply chain while cultivating 38,000+ coffee trees. The Bourbon—Burundi's only legal variety—was picked at peak ripeness, fermented for 12 hours wet then 12 hours dry in cement tanks, and dried for 20–25 days on raised beds. The cup oscillates between firm pink lady apple acidity and big berry notes (blackberry, blueberry) with whipped cream, silky florals, and stone fruit sugars layered into a refined, silky-sweet finish.

Roberto Flores grows this celebrated Geisha variety in Cusco, Peru, where the young 25-year-old farmer achieved exceptional results this season. Hand-harvested with selective cherry picking, the coffee undergoes a two-stage fermentation: 18 hours initial fermentation, then depulping followed by 36 hours of dry fermentation before washing and 20 days of shaded drying. The cup delivers opulent florality (lavender, rose, honeysuckle) layered with raspberry, fuji apple, cherry, and tropical fruit notes, supported by big body and brilliant acidity. This is a prized Geisha varietal—one of the world's most sought-after heirlooms—worth seeking out for its complexity and versatility across brewing methods.

Victor Bonilla's Aruzi trees have reached maturity on Finca Villa María in Huila, Colombia, producing a balanced and comforting coffee. Washed processing includes selective harvesting, 36–40 hour sealed barrel fermentation, and eco-efficient water use via Eco-Mill washing, followed by 15–18 days of marquesina drying. The cup shows medium-plus body and sweetness with mellow acidity, layering black cherry, chocolate, and date notes over dried fruit, condensed sugars, and a buttery texture. This rare Bourbon Aruzi variety—a competition winner and cupping-table standout—represents Bonilla's decade-long pursuit of specialty coffee excellence.