Three Marks Coffee - Néstor Lasso Bourbon Ají | Colombia

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Colombia — Néstor Lasso El Diviso Bourbon Ají (Advanced Natural)

Tastes Like — 🫐 Dried Berries • 🍍 Tropical Fruit • 🍫 Cocoa

DETAILS

• Producer: Néstor Lasso
• Farm: El Diviso
• Region: Pitalito, Huila, Colombia
• Varietal: Bourbon Ají
• Process: Advanced Natural (24hr Oxidation + Dual 48hr Anaerobic + Thermal Shock)
• Altitude: 1,750 MASL
• Size: 250g

INTRO

From Néstor Lasso at El Diviso — a Bourbon Ají processed through one of the most meticulously layered natural protocols in Colombian specialty coffee, developed in partnership with Cata Export and co-founder Jhoan Vergara. Competition-proven and internationally celebrated, this lot delivers the signature El Diviso depth and complexity. In the cup: dried berries, tropical fruit, and cocoa.

THE PRODUCER

Five years ago, Néstor and Adrián Lasso transformed their family farm into a hub of innovation, joining forces with Jhoan Vergara to create El Diviso near Pitalito, Huila. In partnership with Cata Export, they developed cutting-edge fermentation protocols that have taken Colombian coffee to new heights — earning 1st place at the Brewers Cup in Ireland and recognition across Europe, with El Diviso coffees appearing in World Barista Championship routines.

Raised in Normandía, Huila, Néstor embodies a new generation of Colombian coffee growers driven by passion, precision, and purpose. With support from Cata Export and training from SENA, he mastered processing, cupping, and market strategy — proving that true excellence begins with passion and is sustained through relentless technical development.

Bourbon Ají is a variety grown primarily in Huila — colloquially referred to as "Bourbon Ají" though genetic testing confirms no relation to Bourbon. It is 100% Ethiopian Landrace, belonging to the Core Ethiopia group alongside Chiroso, Sidra, Gesha, and Pink Bourbon. In Néstor's hands, its inherent fruit expressiveness is amplified by an extraordinary multi-stage fermentation into something genuinely remarkable.

THE PROCESS

The Advanced Natural process at El Diviso involves:

🍒 Hand-picking — Fully ripe Bourbon Ají cherries selectively harvested for quality and sweetness 🌬️ 24-hour oxidation — Initial aerobic oxidation phase to begin developing the aromatic profile 🔒 First 48-hour anaerobic fermentation — Whole cherries sealed in tanks for 48 hours of controlled anaerobic fermentation 🔒 Second 48-hour anaerobic fermentation — Transferred to fermentation bags for a further 48-hour anaerobic phase, developing intense fruity and tropical notes 🌡️ Thermal shock — Applied to stabilise aromatic compounds and enhance cup clarity ☀️ 15–20 day sun drying — Dried slowly in full sun, concentrating sugars and deepening cocoa and red fruit notes ⏳ 20–30 day rest — Coffee rests after drying to stabilise moisture and allow all flavours to fully integrate before final processing

The dual 48-hour anaerobic fermentation and thermal shock are the defining steps — by fermenting in two sequential sealed phases and then applying thermal shock to fix the aromatic compounds, Néstor builds the extraordinary dried berry depth, tropical fruit vibrancy, and cocoa richness that define this lot, while the extended sun drying and rest allow the profile to fully integrate into something cohesive and deeply rewarding.

THE CUP

A layered, complex, and competition-proven advanced natural Bourbon Ají from one of Huila's most innovative and internationally celebrated farms — dried berry depth, tropical fruit vibrancy, and a warm cocoa richness in a cup of exceptional character and technical accomplishment. Néstor Lasso and El Diviso at their most expressive.

Flavour Notes

🫐 Dried Berries 🍍 Tropical Fruit 🍫 Cocoa