Colombia | Huber Méndez, Villa Maritza - Washed Pink Bourbon

Colombia — Huber Méndez, Villa Maritza, Washed Pink Bourbon

Tastes Like — 🍓 Raspberry Lemonade • 🌹 Rose Hip • 🥭 Mango • 🍋 Citrus

DETAILS

• Producer: Huber Méndez
• Farm: Villa Maritza
• Region: El Triunfo, Ricabrisa, Tarqui, Huila, Colombia
• Varietal: Pink Bourbon
• Process: Washed
• Altitude: 1,920 MASL
• Harvest: August 2025
• Size: 250g

INTRO

A lot of high flavour intensity and great sweetness. Huber Méndez's Pink Bourbon from Villa Maritza is a concentrated and vibrant cup — raspberry lemonade and lush rose hips set the tone immediately, followed by tropical mango and a bright citrus freshness. This is a coffee that rewards attention, revealing new layers as it cools.

This marks only Huber's second year selling coffee under his own name through the specialty market, and it is an honour to share it.

THE PRODUCER

Huber Méndez manages Villa Maritza — a farm named after his wife, whose family he inherited the land from. The farm sits at 1,920 MASL in the town of El Triunfo in Ricabrisa, Tarqui, where he cultivates Pink Bourbon. Huber grew up in the municipality of El Pital, where his family managed mixed farms. As a young man, he travelled widely across Huila working harvests on other farms before settling in Tarqui, where he met Maritza. When they married, they inherited a parcel of land and eventually planted Pink Bourbon. After years of attempting specialty coffee with no access to a market, Huber sold his coffee en verde to the local market.

In 2024, the mayor of Ricabrisa introduced Huber to the Monkaaba project. He prepared samples of his parchment and brought them to the team, and they were incredible. This marks only his second year selling under his own name, and the quality speaks to years of dedication quietly perfected in the mountains of Tarqui.

THE PROCESS

The Washed process at Villa Maritza involves:

• 🍒 Selective Harvest — Cherries picked at peak ripeness every 15 days
• 🔧 Depulping — Cherries depulped the day of harvest
• 📅 Rolling Fermentation — Each day's pickings added to the existing fermentation mass over three days
• 🧪 Extended Fermentation — The entire mass then ferments for an additional 24 hours
• 💧 Washing & Draining — Seeds washed and left to drain for 12 hours
• ☀️ Raised Bed Drying — Dried on raised beds for 15–20 days

The three-day rolling fermentation builds remarkable depth and fruit intensity, while the extended final ferment concentrates flavour before the clean wash reveals the full character of the Pink Bourbon.

THE CUP

Intense and aromatic. Raspberry lemonade and rose hip burst forward with vivid sweetness and floral character, joined by tropical mango and a bright citrus brightness that keeps the cup lively from first sip to last. A coffee of real personality from a producer only just beginning his journey in the specialty market.

Flavour Notes

• 🍓 Raspberry Lemonade
• 🌹 Rose Hip
• 🥭 Mango
• 🍋 Citrus