Origin: Colombia
Farm: El Encanto
Varietal: Bourbon Aji
Altitude: 1650 MASL
Certification: Micro-lot
Process: ‘Strawberry & Cocoa’ Advanced Natural
Cup Score: 88
Cherry Tart, Blueberry Muffin & Chocolate Ganache
Truly exceptional work from Franky Hoyos & previously one of our fastest selling lots ever.
World leading experiments & with 500+ hours of work - this new strawberry pulp & cocoa based yeast inoculated advanced natural Aji produced by El Encanto, a farm known for their outstanding fermentation innovation and rare varietal cultivation, is genius and instantly feels special with their distinctive dessert-like profile.
This new style yeast inoculation fermentation, a process to avoid the wild, naturally occurring microbes from controlling the fermentation, involves introducing a specific, cultured yeast. This “inoculates” the sealed barrel environment, meaning the yeast becomes the dominant microorganism.
This carefully introduced microbe aids fermentation predictability from a production point of view, leading to improved consistency and cup quality through enhanced sweetness, aromatic complexity, pronounced acidity and vivid clarity.
Processing
Following the hand picked selection of fully ripe cherries, the coffee undergoes a 70-hour oxidation stage before being repulped and transferred to sealed tanks for a further 60 hours of anaerobic fermentation.
Throughout the process, temperature, time and microbial activity are closely managed to encourage the development of complex fruit aromatics, layered sweetness and a vibrant, structured acidity. A thermal shock is then applied to stabilise the fermentation before drying begins.
To further refine the El Encanto signature profile, selected yeasts cultivated with strawberry pulp and cacao are introduced to guide fermentation towards expressive red-fruit and confectionery-like aromatics.
Their work reflects a broader movement within Colombian coffee, combining agronomy, microbiology and precision fermentation to produce distinctive, consistent coffees. Rather than relying solely on exceptional terroir, the family has transformed the farm in recent years by replacing the traditional cultivars with rare varieties including Bourbon Ají, Geisha, Java, Pink Bourbon and Chiroso, each selected for its unique sensory potential.