Bourbon Ají by Ildefonso Córdoba in Huila, Colombia
US$0.00
Producer: Ildefonso Córdoba
Where: Bruselas, Huila, Colombia
Variety: Bourbon Ají
Processing: Anaerobic Washed (60hrs. in cherry/60-70hrs. depulped)
Importer: Shared Source
Harvest: January 2024
Tasting notes: Strawberry leaf, cantaloupe, rosehip, white tea
Unique Bourbon Ají variety picked and processed by Ildefonso Córdoba on his farm in Bruselas, Huila. Whole cherry anaerobic fermentation of 60hrs., then an additional 60-70hrs. in sealed barrels after depulping.
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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.