Magnolia is my love letter to espresso. It delights in those surprisingly fruity shots with bright and sparkling acidity. It always seeks out sweetness paired with stunning clarity and vibrancy. It is all the best aspects of modern espresso and works to remind me that the possibilities for a good cup are endless when we forever seek coffees that are in bloom.
ORIGIN:
Hamith has worked in coffee his whole life, starting on his family farm and then traveling to Hulia, Andes, and Bolivar to hone his expertise. At 25, he teamed up with his brother, Jenaro, to grow Caturra at their family’s Bueno Vista farm. While it was sadly decimated by roya, Hamith refused to quit. Half a decade later, he now grows Pink Bourbon and San Bernando on just over 2 hectares. This coffee comes by way of grower empowerment initiative Monkaaba!
I had the great pleasure of meeting Esnaider Ortega Gomez and Didier Ortega from Monkaaba last year, when they came and visited the roaster with Brendan Adams from Semilla. The collectivist project that started with seven families seeking a cooperative “based on the principles of open access and community support”. As Brendan explains, the “Monkaaba project has blossomed into a tight-knit network of 60 families, all of whom are driven by an interest to know more about their coffee, how it might be improved, and how they can form resilient, stable relationships”. For information on the group's crucial work, please read more: here.
FLAVOUR:
Pink Bourbon is a hybrid stemming from Red and Yellow Bourbon with a slight influence from Catimor varieties. I expect citric acidity, a big creamy mouthfeel, and floral aromatics from a Pink Bourbon, which Hamith’s coffee delivers with jammy red cherry over lavender notes. The cup has a wonderfully hazy sugar and almond flavour, think creamed honey, marzipan, white chocolate, and nogat. The finish sparkles bright with a fizzy note of concord grape.
