Nestor Lasso - Bourbon Aji

Flavour Profile - Mint / Grape / Pear

Coming from the same farm I used for my Irish Brewers Cup competition coffee, this Bourbon Aji Washed from El Diviso is another incredible example of the innovation and precision that has made Néstor Lasso and the team at El Diviso some of the most exciting producers in coffee today. While completely different in profile to my competition lot, it carries the same philosophy of pushing boundaries while still allowing the variety and terroir to shine through. 

Produced at 1,750–1,850 metres above sea level in Pitalito, Huila, El Diviso sits in one of Colombia’s most celebrated coffee-growing regions. Volcanic soils, cool nights, and slow cherry maturation create the perfect conditions for developing intense sweetness and remarkable flavour clarity. Over the last number of years, Néstor and Adrián Lasso have transformed the family farm from traditional commodity production into a world-renowned hub for experimental microlots and advanced processing. 

Bourbon Aji itself is an incredibly rare and fascinating variety. Originally an Ethiopian landrace, it gets its name from the unusual aroma found in the mucilage, often reminiscent of fresh chili or herbal spice. At high elevations like El Diviso, the variety develops exceptional florality, refined fruit sweetness, and an almost tea-like elegance in the cup. 

The processing is where El Diviso’s obsessive attention to detail really becomes clear. Only perfectly ripe cherries are hand-picked before flotation sorting removes lower-density fruit and defects. The cherries then undergo around 40 hours of anaerobic fermentation in sealed tanks at carefully controlled temperatures between 16–18°C, helping preserve the pure character of the variety while building complexity and structure. 

Following this, the coffee moves through multiple oxidation stages. After the initial fermentation, cherries are transferred into larger tanks for approximately 20 hours of oxidation, with the leachates collected and reused to further develop flavour complexity. The cherries are then pulped before entering a second oxidation stage with the mucilage still intact, allowing additional sweetness and aromatic intensity to develop. 

One of the most unique parts of the process is the thermal shock wash. After fermentation, the beans are washed using water heated to around 65–70°C. This stage is designed to stabilise aromatic compounds and lock in clarity, helping create the incredibly clean yet expressive profile this coffee is known for. 

Drying is handled slowly and carefully using parabolic dryers and raised beds over 16–24 days, sometimes longer, until the coffee reaches the ideal moisture content. Temperatures are carefully monitored throughout to protect the delicate florals and herbal complexity that make Bourbon Aji so unique. 

In the cup, this coffee is vibrant, elegant, and layered. Expect jasmine florals, lemongrass, Thai basil, red currant, apricot, passionfruit, and fresh lime zest, alongside subtle herbal spice and a silky, tea-like body. The finish lingers with floral sweetness and delicate spice, creating a coffee that feels both refined and deeply expressive.