MARLON BOLAÑOS - BOURBON AJI, WASHED - COLOMBIA

HELM
INDIANAPOLIS, UNITED STATES

MARLON BOLAÑOS - BOURBON AJI, WASHED

PINK FLORALS
LEMONADE
PINEAPPLE
BLACKBERRY

ORIGIN: HUILA, COLOMBIA
PRODUCER: MARLON BOLAÑOS
ALTITUDE: 1670 MASL
VARIETY: BOURBON AJI
PROCESS: WASHED

ROAST DATE: SEPTEMBER 1, 2026

FROM THE ROASTER

MARLON BOLAÑOS FARMS IN HUILA WITH HIS BROTHERS PEDRO AND HEMERSON, UNDER THE NAME THE THREE COFFEE FARMERS. HE CAME TO COFFEE SERIOUSLY AT SEVENTEEN THROUGH SENA, COLOMBIA'S VOCATIONAL TRAINING SYSTEM, STUDYING BREWING, GREEN GRADING AND SENSORY ANALYSIS BEFORE GOING HOME TO PLANT SPECIALTY VARIETIES AND RUN HIS OWN FERMENTATIONS. HE HANDLES QUALITY CONTROL AND FERMENTATION PROTOCOLS NOW, AND COMPETES AS WELL. THIS IS THE FIRST COFFEE WE HAVE BOUGHT FROM HIM.

PINK FLORALS EXPLODE OFF THE AROMA AND CARRY INTO THE FIRST SIP, AND BEHIND THEM LEMONADE OPENS THE CUP, SWEET AND TART AT ONCE. PINEAPPLE BUILDS THROUGH THE MIDDLE, RIPE AND TROPICAL, AND AS THE CUP COOLS FRESH PICKED BLACKBERRY SETTLES UNDERNEATH IT. THE CUP IS JUICY AND SILKY, THE ACIDITY IS BRIGHT, AND THE SWEETNESS BUILDS THE LONGER THE CUP SITS.

AJÍ IS SPANISH FOR CHILI PEPPER, AND THE VARIETY TAKES ITS NAME FROM THE CHERRY, WHICH IS LONG AND TAPERS TO A POINT. GROWERS IN HUILA CALLED IT A BOURBON AND THE NAME STUCK; GENETIC TESTING HAS SINCE PLACED IT IN THE ETHIOPIAN LANDRACE FAMILY.

CHERRY IS PICKED AT PEAK RIPENESS, FLOATED AND DEPULPED THE SAME DAY. THE PARCHMENT FERMENTS IN OPEN TANKS FOR TWENTY-FOUR HOURS, IS WASHED, AND DRIES OVER TEN TO FIFTEEN DAYS.