Colombia Black Condor (250g)
Prepare for an enchanting coffee journey with this exceptional lot. The aroma beckons with the delicate embrace of pink grapefruit and chocolate, reminiscent of a summer's day. As you take your first sip, you'll be transported to a world of decadence, where the flavors of raspberry, plum, lime, and cacao come together in perfect harmony, caressing your palate with a velvety smooth mouthfeel.The grand finale is equally captivating, as the coffee unveils a lingering aftertaste, reminiscent of black currant and milk chocolate. Each sip is a symphony of beauty and flavor, a testament to the artistry that lies within each bean.
FARM: El Vergel
It all began in 1995, when the parents of the Bayter Family decided to embark on an agricultural adventure at the El Vergel farm. With passion and dedication, they began to grow avocados, making their farm one of the most productive in the country. However, in 2006 avocado prices dropped sharply due to a disease that severely affected the crop. It was then, between 2009 and 2010, when Martha, the Bayter's mother, decided to diversify her crops and save costs by introducing coffee varieties such as catimore, red and yellow caturra, challenging the limits of her knowledge.
As interest in coffee grew, the Bayters embarked on a journey of empirical knowledge about pulping and different types of fermentation. Together with Nelson Moya, a coffee enthusiast who showed them different processing equipment, they immersed themselves in the search for specialty coffees from Colombia and certified their farm as "Rainforest" by the prestigious "Federación Nacional de Cafeteros" between 2014 and 2015. Their dedication and love for coffee began to bear fruit.
This is how, in 2016, they met Miguel Jimenez, an expert in varietal and specialty coffees, who guided the Bayters in planting varieties such as Geisha, Java, Pacamara, Red Bourbon and Laurina, giving the first productions of these coffees in 2017, marking a milestone in their trajectory. As time progressed, the farm was modernized, and in 2018, natural coffee processes were implemented, such as aerobic and anaerobic, and silos were acquired for coffee storage. Little by little they became pioneers of innovation and quality. Currently the Bayter family carries out exhaustive research on bacteria and yeasts to control fermentation together with tireless experimentation of processes, reaching unprecedented levels of excellence in their coffees.
Today El Vergel has expanded to have more than 28 varietals spread throughout its lands and is characterized for being the first coffee farm in Colombia to develop the koji fermentation process, a process that has completely changed the way of developing green coffee.
Nestled within the captivating landscapes of Colombia lies El Vergel Estates, a coffee-producing haven that beckons coffee connoisseurs worldwide. This enchanting location is where the journey of our coffee beans commences, infused with the essence of its unique terroir. El Vergel Estates is graced by the Andes Mountains, which cradle the coffee farms at elevations ranging from 1,200 to 1,800 meters above sea level. This remarkable altitude bestows the coffee cherries with a complexity of flavors that is truly unparalleled.
The region's fertile volcanic soil, enriched by centuries of mineral deposits, imparts a distinctive character to the coffee beans. The equatorial climate, with its well-defined wet and dry seasons, nurtures the cherries to perfection. These meticulously cultivated coffee trees thrive amidst lush greenery and are tended to by skilled farmers, ensuring the highest quality harvests.
As you savor the brew from El Vergel Estates, you embark on a sensory voyage through the very essence of this captivating location. Each cup encapsulates the heritage, dedication, and natural beauty of Colombia's coffee heartland, inviting you to indulge in a coffee experience like no other.
During our visit to Colombia this year, we had the incredible opportunity to explore El Vergel farm and meet the Bayter family, who are the proud owners.
Notably, we established a direct relationship with Shady Bayter, the owner of the Forest company, which imports coffee to Europe.
Thanks to this special connection, we were able to bring this unique Colombian coffee directly to our roastery. It's a testament to the power of personal connections and the journey of our coffee from farm to cup.
About Black Condor
PRODUCER:Bayter Family
TERROIR:Tolima
ALTITUDE:1200-1800 m
PROCESS:Washed
ARRIVED IN:70kg bags
VARIETIES:Castillo
AROMA:Pink Grapefruit, Cacao
FLAVOR:Plum, Lime, Cacao
BODY:Smooth
FINISH:Milk Chocolate
This coffee project is centered in the village of Gaitania where Emmanuel is a coffee grower raised by coffee grower parents, who taught him everything about coffee.
In 2006 he had the opportunity to learn much more about processes, quality, and varieties; managing to focus his farm and several producers in the zone on producing specialty coffees, but he had a problem in common with the other coffee growers, they did not have the capacity to produce large quantities, because they did not have a central processing center for quality processes. That is why in 2016 he began with his family to create a coffee processing center that became a strategic bridge between more than 15 villages in Gaitania and processing the coffees of coffee growers throughout the area.
That’s how the Black Condor Project began to build and develop the drying stations to receive the coffee and process all together to ensure 2 things: quality and consistency. Paying always 30% above the market to the producers, Forest is working with 30-45 independent producers to make this Black Condor project sustainable and unique in the Tolima region.
