Alejandro Ariza Yellow Pacamara

Producer: Alejandro Ariza 

Farm: Finca La Argalia

Origin: Inzá, Cauca, Colombia

Elevation: 1640-1800 MASL

Variety: Yellow Pacamara 

Process: Natural

Flavor Notes: Wild Blackberry, Red Starburst, Rock Candy

Let me first start off by saying I had the pleasure to cup a bunch of the coffees grown on the farm with producer Alejandro back in May. A few months later we are releasing our first offering from him and it makes it that much more special for us.

Finca La Argelia was born in 2021 in the mountains of Inzá, Cauca, as a family project built around one idea. To create exceptional coffee while protecting the land it comes from.

Sitting between 1,640–1,800 meters and surrounded by the Huila, Sotará, and Puracé volcanoes, the farm is shaped by an incredibly unique environment of Andean forest, native wildlife, and rich biodiversity. Of its nine hectares, only half are planted with coffee, the rest remains protected forest. 

The family grows an impressive mix of varieties, including Castillo, Cenicafé 1, Maragogipe, Pacamara, Rume Sudan, Bourbon Pointu, and Pink Bourbon. Through careful fermentation and a deep understanding of their terroir, they work to bring out the natural character of the region.

La Argelia is about more than producing beautiful coffee. Their goal is to prove that incredible cups don’t always require rare varieties. By pushing the potential of coffees like Castillo and Cenicafé 1, they hope to create better opportunities for neighboring producers while showing what their region is truly capable of.

Coffee Info:

The Yellow Pacamara at Finca La Argelia almost didn’t make it. For nearly two years, the family struggled to unlock the potential of this variety. Washed, honey, and different fermentation methods all produced an overly herbal profile that just wasn’t what they were looking for.

For one final attempt, they pushed the coffee through a 160+ hour natural fermentation with oxidation and everything changed. The cup became sweeter, fruitier, and incredibly expressive. We taste wild blackberry and juicy Red Starburst sweetness, finishing with the bright, crystalline sweetness of rock candy.

What nearly became a lost crop turned into something truly special and we’re pretty glad they gave it one more shot.

Rest: 2 Weeks

Whole Bean  |  8oz