WEEKENDERS COFFEE COLOMBIA Jesus Antonio Saavedra #2 CWCF 2023

This time we are going to introduce Jose Hernán Salazar Bourbon Aji, a farm located in Pitalito, in the center of the Huila region.
Pitalito is the intersection of three mountain ranges in the north and south of Colombia and is known as a famous coffee-producing area. Nearby is the source of the Magdalena River, which creates a microclimate around the farm that creates the region's unique flavor.
José was born in Nariño, but he came to Huila at the invitation of a coffee farmer friend. While learning how to make coffee at a friend's farm, I fell in love with a farm in Brulas near Pittalito, which I bought after the collapse.
The farm was originally planted to Caturra, but his current farm is 30% Pink Bourbon, 10% Castillo and 60% Bourbon Aji. Starting with the early Catura variety, various varieties are grown, with these three showing the most character. After harvesting the cherries, they plant them in nurseries to raise seedlings and increase the number of trees.
During this time we got to know CARAVELA and when we took a sample to their laboratory we fell in love with its uniqueness, something we had never tasted before, and in 2015 we started working together as a team , focusing on high-quality coffee.
Jose is also Bourbon The first discoverer of Aji. Bourbon Aji was first exhibited at the 2021 Colombian COE and took sixth place, and the variety has been in the spotlight ever since. COE then asked the inspection agency to conduct an investigation and found that this was a variety that did not belong to the Bourbon family and was a new variety originating in Ethiopia.
「 The origin of the name Aji = chili pepper Jose himself named it because he felt the spicy aroma of chili peppers in cherries.

Jose has a family of four, including his wife Marina, daughter Blanca and son Joan. La Guaca Farm is a family farm where every family member plays a key role. Jose manages the entire farm and harvests the cherries, his daughter Blanca helps manage the farm and recordkeeping, and his wife Marina handles refining and drying. Jose feels that this family-style farm management is more efficient and strengthens family unity.
José is teaching Blanca all about the farm and coffee. One day she will take over the farm and continue the legacy for many years to come.