We’ve been amazed by this year's new crop lots from Colombia, discovering several hidden gems. Like this one, from a tiny farm near the Pan de Azúcar Volcano in Colombia. 

Javier Jimenez Lasso is the eldest of five siblings and grew up surrounded by coffee plantations, learning everything about coffee production from his father. In 1997, he moved to the Coffee region of Huila to work as a coffee picker and decided to settle in the district of Garzón, aiming to own his own coffee farm. After approximately 20 years of hard work, Javier, together with his wife and children, realized his dream and purchased Farm La Esmeralda in 2018, located on the Pan de Azúcar trail. He chose this farm for its ideal soil, location, topography, and production potential. Farm La Esmeralda currently cultivates Colombia, Caturra, and Supremo coffee varieties.

Until mid-2020 and 2021, the farm's coffee was processed using traditional methods. During this time, Javier’s eldest son, an Agricultural Engineer, suggested conducting tests with different processing techniques to create a protocol suited to the farm's conditions, thereby adding value to the final product. Besides his dedication to coffee farming, Javier is a committed social leader, serving as president of the Junta de Acción Comunal of his village and managing various development and welfare projects.

Javier, proud of his identity as a coffee producer from Huila, forms a beautiful family with his wife Leida Roció and their seven children. His ambitions include expanding his farm, providing education for his children, and enhancing the infrastructure of the coffee mill and drying process to ensure efficient, sustainable, and environmentally friendly coffee production, with the goal of producing the finest coffees in the region.

The farm benefits from its strategic location, drawing water directly from the mountain range through an aqueduct to nurture the coffee plants.

The coffee processing journey starts with the careful reception of the cherries. These cherries are then meticulously sorted by ripeness to ensure only the best are selected. Next, the cherries undergo a 24-hour anaerobic fermentation in cherry, enhancing their flavor profile. Following fermentation, they are pulped to remove the outer layers. The beans are then washed to clean off any remaining residue before they are spread out for outdoor drying on raised African beds, completing the process.

In the cup: Red fruits, kiwi, mint, panela. Bright and long lasting.

Minimum resting period: 10 days from the roast date for espresso, 7 days for filter roast.