Colombia — Andrés Cardozo Ombligón

Tastes Like — 🫐 Stewed Blueberry • 🌺 Hibiscus • 🍵 Darjeeling Tea

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DETAILS

• Producer: Andrés Cardozo
• Farm: Finca Buenavista
• Region: Huila, Colombia
• Varietal: Ombligón
• Process: Washed
• Altitude: 1800 masl
• Size: 125g

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INTRO — A Rare Variety from a Young, Talented Producer

Ombligón remains one of specialty coffee's newest discoveries—a relatively rare variety currently grown solely in Huila, Colombia, with definitive genetic research yet to reveal its true heritage. This lot from the young and talented Andrés Cardozo of Finca Buenavista represents the variety's exceptional potential when cultivated at optimal altitude and processed with precision.

What makes this coffee immediately striking is the clear, definite stewed blueberry note—uncommon in washed Colombian coffees and reminiscent of steaming blueberry pancakes straight off the griddle. Deep, red, floral hibiscus and dark, robust, tannic Darjeeling tea add layers of complexity, creating a truly unique and beautiful cup that showcases why Ombligón deserves serious attention.

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THE PRODUCER — Andrés Cardozo & Finca Buenavista

Andrés Cardozo represents the next generation of Colombian coffee producers—young, talented, and willing to take calculated risks on rare varieties like Ombligón. Managing Finca Buenavista at 1,800 metres above sea level in Huila, he's positioned at exactly the altitude where Ombligón performs best (the variety has been found to thrive between 1,600 and 1,800 masl).

Choosing to cultivate Ombligón demonstrates both confidence and expertise. This isn't a proven commercial variety with decades of cultivation knowledge behind it. Definitive genetic research hasn't even been performed yet to reveal its composition and heritage. Growing Ombligón means experimenting with harvest timing, processing protocols, and cultivation techniques—learning through trial and observation what works best for a variety that's still revealing its secrets.

For a young producer to focus on such an uncommon variety rather than sticking with proven, commercial varieties shows genuine commitment to quality and innovation. It's the kind of forward-thinking approach that keeps specialty coffee evolving, as producers like Andrés discover what rare varieties can achieve when given the right conditions and care.

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THE PROCESS — Washed Processing Revealing Ombligón's Character

Whilst specific processing details aren't provided, the clean, layered profile indicates careful washed processing that allows Ombligón's unique characteristics to express clearly:

• 🍒 Selective Harvesting — Only fully ripe Ombligón cherries picked at optimal maturity
• ⚙️ Careful Depulping — Same-day processing to preserve the variety's distinctive fruit character
• 💧 Controlled Fermentation — Precise timing to develop the blueberry and tea notes without muddiness
• 🌊 Thorough Washing — Complete mucilage removal for clean cup profile
• ☀️ Monitored Drying — Extended drying at 1,800 metres preserving aromatics

The washed process is particularly well-suited for showcasing Ombligón's unique flavour profile. Unlike honey or natural processing that adds fruit character through the process, washed coffee reveals what the variety itself brings. The stewed blueberry, hibiscus, and Darjeeling tea notes in this lot come from Ombligón's genetics expressing at 1,800 metres, revealed through processing rather than created by it.

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THE VARIETY — Ombligón's Mysterious Origins

Ombligón's genetic heritage remains uncertain, with competing theories about its origins. One theory suggests it's yet another Ethiopian landrace variety that made its way to Colombia—joining Pink Bourbon, Chiroso, Geisha, Mejorada, Papayo, Sidra, Aji, and Wush Wush. This would make sense given the similarities between Ombligón's typical flavour profile and that of Ethiopian landraces—complex fruit notes, pronounced florals, tea-like qualities.

However, Ombligón's hardiness and adaptation to Colombian growing conditions, along with morphological similarities to more traditional varieties, lead others to theorize it's a mutation of Caturra, Bourbon, Castillo, or even Pacamara. Unlike many Ethiopian landrace varieties that struggle with Colombia's climate and diseases, Ombligón appears well-suited to local conditions whilst maintaining the complex cup profile typically associated with Ethiopian genetics.

What's certain is that Ombligón performs best between 1,600 and 1,800 metres above sea level—exactly where Finca Buenavista sits. At this altitude, the variety develops the complexity and unique character that's making it increasingly sought after by quality-focused roasters and producers willing to experiment with rare genetics.

The fact that definitive genetic research hasn't been performed yet adds to Ombligón's intrigue. Producers like Andrés are essentially working with a variety that's still revealing what it can do, discovering its potential through cultivation and cupping rather than relying on established knowledge. This makes exceptional lots like this one particularly valuable—they're not just great coffee, they're data points helping the specialty community understand what Ombligón can achieve.

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THE CUP — Blueberry Pancakes with Floral Tea Complexity

This is genuinely unique coffee—a flavour profile that's immediately recognizable as something different. The stewed blueberry hits first and most notably, uncommon in washed Colombian coffees and instantly evocative of breakfast comfort. Deep red hibiscus and dark Darjeeling tea add layers of complexity that make this cup genuinely beautiful and endlessly interesting.

Flavour Notes

• 🫐 Stewed Blueberry — clear, definite cooked blueberry character reminiscent of blueberry pancakes fresh off the griddle
• 🌺 Hibiscus — deep, red, floral notes adding tartness and complexity
• 🍵 Darjeeling Tea — dark, robust, tannic tea character providing structure and sophistication

The stewed blueberry dominates—it's cooked fruit rather than fresh, with that deeper, jammy character that develops through heat. There's something genuinely pancake-like about it, that combination of sweet cooked blueberries with slight caramelization. Hibiscus florals add a different dimension—red rather than white flowers, with tart, fruity character that complements the blueberry beautifully. Darjeeling tea notes emerge particularly as the coffee cools, dark and robust with pleasant tannins adding structure and preventing the fruit from becoming one-dimensional.

The body is layered and complex, with enough weight to carry these distinctive flavours without heaviness. The acidity is present but integrated, more structural than bright, providing backbone rather than sharp lift. The finish is long and satisfying, with those tea notes lingering alongside blueberry sweetness.

This lot from Andrés Cardozo proves why rare varieties like Ombligón deserve attention. When cultivated by talented young producers at optimal altitude and processed with care, these uncommon genetics can produce coffee that's genuinely unique—not just different for the sake of novelty, but distinctively delicious in ways established varieties can't match. This is the kind of coffee that expands what we understand Colombian coffee can be.