Region: San Augustin, Huila, Colombia
Varietal: Caturra, Bourbon
Alt: 1850 masl
Process: Natural
Notes: Melon, apricot, candy

Coffee producer, Miguel Angel Botina, learned how to grow coffee from his father, who taught him everything he could about producing high-quality coffee. When Miguel's Father owned the farm, they had Typica and Bourbon varietals; Miguel still recalls the day 40 years ago, when the Typica and Bourbon trees were replaced for caturra trees, due to caturra having higher production and more resistance to disease. Miguel decided to preserve some of the Bourbon that remained as a tribute to his Father, as the Bourbon was his favourite to drink.

La Esmeralda is covered with shade trees, providing a home to a host of native birds and fauna. Miguel has his family home on the farm, where they also grow oranges, bananas, and vegetables. During the flowering season of La Esmeralda, the coffee trees bloom so beautifully that one might wonder if snow has fallen in this tropical hill of Huila; although the aromas of Jasmine and lime coming from the coffee flowers would quickly remind you that you are far from cold mountains.

Miguel only uses the ripest cherries of La Esmeralda for his natural; the cherry is checked with a Brix sugar reader to ascertain its ripeness, the aim is for it to be 22% or above. Afterwards, the cherries are floated and then put on raised African beds to dry; during the first five days, they are left directly under the sun to dry and dehydrate. Afterwards, the cherries are moved under shade to dry slowly, over a period of three weeks.

Whole bean // 200g per bag.

10% of profits from sales of this coffee will go to HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH.