Colombian El Mirador Tabi natural hydro-honey coffee

The Colombian El Miradro Tabi natural hydro-honey coffee was sourced via Sabores.

Sabores

In 2017, Nicole and José Fernández created Sabores in Colombia’s coffee mountains. Sabores offers diverse coffee flavours, reflecting their love and passion for coffee. Nicole, from South Africa, and José, from Colombia, integrate their proud heritage in Sabores. They import the great South American coffees, striving for a synergy of their backgrounds.

Experimental Processes

Sabores has been working with many different producers, that are trying something different when it comes to processing. Rather than the established processes like natural, washed or honey or the newer fermentation methods like anaerobic or carbonic maceration, these are very different.

We have tried a number of them, and some are so funky even we could not get our heads around them. Coffee’s soaked in fruit juice, fermented with lemon grass and culturing. You can read more about the process they have offered here…

Natural hydro-honey

El Mirador Farm utilizes a 3-step process called Natural Hydro-Honey for their coffee. First, dry and ferment the coffee for 8 to 12 days to reach its natural phase. Then, place the coffee in water tanks to humidify the cherry and rehydrate the skin for 24 to 36 hours. Finally, de-pulp the cherries and subject them to a honey drying phase that lasts 15 – 20 days.

According to Elkin, this process results in a unique flavour profile that combines the caramel and chocolate notes of the natural process with the sweetness and floral notes of the honey process. This makes it an ideal option for those who enjoy washed coffees but may not be ready for fully natural coffees, as it strikes a balance between the two.

Elkin Guzman

Elkin Guzman, a specialty coffee farmer from Pitalito in Huila, Colombia. As the owner, he manages El Mirador, a 31-hectare farm boasting a diverse collection of coffee varieties. These include Catiope, Mokka, Gesha, Bourbon, Caturra, and the recently developed Tabi. Tabi is a cross-breed of Bourbon, Typica, and the Timor Hybrid released in 2020 by Cenicafe.

With lifelong exposure to coffee, Elkin has gained recognition as one of Colombia’s top multigenerational coffee producers over the past decade. His scientific approach to coffee production, fueled by passion and curiosity, is driven by methodical research and experimentation as he delves into the intricacies of coffee quality.

In the pursuit of differentiated coffees, Elkin and his team have spent over 13 years conducting experiments and evaluating variables. All this just to enhance the quality of the coffees they handle, aiming to offer an exceptional drinking experience for coffee consumers worldwide. Elkin’s dedication to researching and developing post-harvest processing techniques has led to the creation of multiple processing techniques tailored to each individual lot of coffee. These techniques include Carbonic Maceration, Lactic and Acetic Natural processes, and Natural Hydro-Honey, all born out of his extensive research and experience in the field.

El Mirador

Elkin Guzman, the owner of El Mirador, a 31-hectare farm in Pitalito, Huila, Colombia, manages the farm using semi-shade systems. The sandy-loam and clay-loam soils, enriched with organic matter, optimize coffee tree nutrition. Additionally, these systems regulate temperature and enhance photosynthesis in the coffee plantations.

Colombian El Mirador Tabi natural hydro-honey

We cupped this coffee with traditional natural and honey processed coffees from the same Colombian region, and it won our hearts. Despite being limited and potentially costing a bit more, we felt compelled to share it with our coffee-loving community.

Details of the coffee

Our brews:

Transparency Information

Sources:

• Sabores website, images and documentation
• Rewrites by ChatGPT.