Highlights

“Emmanuel Enciso grows coffee at Finca La Roma in Gaitania, Tolima, the area known as the birthplace of Colombian coffee. Raised in a family of coffee growers, he started digging deeper into the craft in 2006, learning everything he could about processing, quality and varieties. When Gaitania had no central hub for processing coffee and controlling quality, he and his family built one in 2016; their centre now helps growers from more than 15 villages. In 2019 Emmanuel partnered with Forest Coffee to launch the Black Condor Project, a washing station supporting Gaitania farmers affected by guerrilla war, paying producers directly at 18-20% above market and running workshops on processing, fermentation, drying and cupping. More than 100 independent producers take part today. This coffee spends 24 hours in its mucilage before a patio drying of 15-25 days, then a stabilization process before milling, giving a harmonious, consistent profile. Recommended rest 3+ weeks; filter 1:16-17 at 94C; espresso 1:2.5-2.7 in 26-30s.”