Bourbon Ají by Ildefonso Córdoba in Huila, Colombia

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Bourbon aji is a new variety that is taking off in popularity in Huila, and Ildefonso has been busy prepping seedlings for the group, since he manages a seed nursery. Ildefonso got the seeds from another farm in the township of La Esperanza, and the variety is native to Bruselas- the town around which the Guácharos members are based. The variety has piqued a lot of group members’ interest- the trees themselves seem to be resistant to fungal issues like coffee leaf rust, and the cherries ripen to a chili color, and some producers say that they think that the cherry has a slight spiciness to it- hence the “aji” (chili) name! Some pickers say that their fingers sting a bit after picking the cherries too. Around Bruselas, another local producer- Jose Salazar- won 6th place in Colombia’s Cup of Excellence competition using a bourbon aji coffee, though genetic tests later reveals that the variety itself is actually not a bourbon, but rather that it stems from an Ethiopian landrace not found in many accessions, including CATIE’s collection.–Seems to be a recurring theme in southern Huila between Pink Bourbon, Sidra, and Bourbon Aji – Not mad at that in the least.