Colombia — José Norbey Vargas Finca La Hormiga Pink Bourbon (Washed)

Tastes Like — 🍇 White Grape • 🍋 Juicy Lime • 🍊 Sparkling Grapefruit

DETAILS

• Producer: José Norbey Vargas
• Farm: Finca La Hormiga
• Region: Santa María, Huila, Colombia
• Varietal: Pink Bourbon
• Process: Washed (20hr Fermentation + 10–12 Day Marquesina Drying)
• Altitude: 1,800 MASL
• Roast: Light
• Size: 250g

INTRO

A first time working with José Norbey Vargas at Finca La Hormiga — and one September Coffee are very excited about. An expressive, juicy, and bright washed Pink Bourbon that is clean and sparkling from first sip to last. In the cup: white grapes, juicy limes, lemons, and a sparkling grapefruit-like acidity with a clean, refreshing finish.

THE PRODUCER

José Norbey Vargas grew up learning coffee from his father — and nine years ago, the family began cultivating it together as a specialty-focused endeavour. Today, José works daily alongside his father and brother at Finca La Hormiga in Santa María, Huila, dividing tasks to manage production efficiently and producing incredibly expressive specialty lots from the 1,800 MASL growing conditions of one of Colombia's most celebrated coffee-growing regions.

Pink Bourbon is a variety primarily grown in Huila, now confirmed as Ethiopian Landrace — belonging to the Core Ethiopia group alongside Gesha, Chiroso, Sidra, and Aji. Known for its bright, sweet, and aromatic profiles, it thrives in the cool highland conditions of Santa María, where slow cherry development and the volcanic soils of Huila's mountains build the clean citrus brightness and sparkling acidity that define this lot.

THE PROCESS

The Washed process at Finca La Hormiga involves:

🍒 Hand-picking — Ripe Pink Bourbon cherries selectively harvested 💧 Flotation & sorting — Floated and sorted after picking to remove defects 🔧 Depulping — Outer skin removed before fermentation 🧪 20-hour tank fermentation — Beans fermented for 20 hours in tanks 💧 Washing — Thoroughly washed after fermentation to remove all residue 🏚️ Marquesina drying — Dried in a marquesina (parabolic greenhouse dryer) for 10–12 days

The 20-hour fermentation and marquesina drying are the defining steps — the fermentation develops the clean citrus brightness and white grape sweetness that define this lot, while the marquesina's controlled greenhouse environment ensures slow, even drying that preserves the sparkling acidity and clean finish that make this Pink Bourbon so immediately distinctive.

THE CUP

A bright, sparkling, and beautifully expressive washed Pink Bourbon from a new and exciting family farm in Santa María — white grape sweetness, juicy lime and lemon acidity, and a sparkling grapefruit finish in a clean, refreshing cup that announces José Norbey Vargas as a name well worth following.

Flavour Notes

🍇 White Grape 🍋 Juicy Lime 🍊 Sparkling Grapefruit