ILSE - Jose Del Mar Ordonez - Bourbon Aji - Honey - Colombia 250g

Jose Del Mar Ordonez’s farm, Bella Vista, spans 4.25 hectares, three of which are planted with coffee at 1,900 meters above sea level in La Esperanza, San Agustín. This particular lot is a separation of Bourbon Aji harvested in March 2026. Bourbon Aji is a new and exciting variety for us, and this marks our first release. What makes this lot even more special is its honey processing, a method rarely seen in San Agustín. The cup is sweet and fruit-forward, with vibrant tropical fruit notes reminiscent of kiwi and dragon fruit.

Jose grew up in the village of Los Robles on a family farm where they cultivated corn, beans, peas, and a few coffee trees, while also raising cattle for milk production. From a young age, he had a strong interest in working the land, and as he grew older, he asked his father for permission to plant and manage his own coffee trees. A few years later, the family sold their land, leaving Jose without a farm to tend to. For years, he worked as a coffee picker while searching for land of his own. In 2016, a friend offered him the opportunity to become a partner on a farm in La Esperanza, and Jose jumped at the chance to grow coffee again. He started with 3,000 Caturra trees, but after struggling with disease, he eventually transitioned to planting Pink Bourbon and Bourbon Aji. Over time, Jose became increasingly interested in coffee quality and processing techniques. Today, he is the only producer within the Monkaaba network producing a honey-processed lot.

Cherries are picked at peak ripeness every three weeks and left to ferment for 90 hours in tiled tanks. The cherries are then pulped and dried with the mucilage in tact for 22-25 days on raised beds.