Colombia - Nestor Lasso - Ombligon - Natural
Producer — Nestor Lasso at El Diviso
Region — Pitalito, Huila, southwestern Colombia
Terroir — 1750 masl, temperate tropical climate
Process — Natural
Variety — Ombligon
Tasting - Cherry, tropical, dark chocolate
In 2018, Nestor Lasso , at the young age of 17, assumed responsibility for the daily operations of his family's farm in collaboration with his elder brother Adrian. Seeking to enhance their endeavors, the Lasso siblings joined forces with another local producer, Jhoan Vergara, to amalgamate two family farms, resulting in the birth of El Diviso.
With a steadfast commitment to specializing in coffee and a penchant for pioneering post-harvest techniques, the trio entered into a partnership with Cata Export, Colombian coffee exporters. This collaboration aimed to expedite their research and introduce their coffees to new global markets.
The fruits of their labor have been remarkable, as El Diviso's coffees gained recognition in various competitions. Notably, they clinched the top spot at the Ireland Brewers’ Cup and secured third place in the Austrian edition of the same competition over the past few years.
The showcased coffee is an enigmatic variety with limited understanding. While some posit its connection to the Ethiopian heirloom variety, others suggest it might be a colloquial term for pacamara. What remains certain is that the name "ombligon" is derived from the bean's elongated shape and a belly-button-like nodule at its base.
Post-harvest procedures for this particular batch involved a meticulous multi-stage process:
Coffee cherries were placed in open tanks for 48 hours to undergo oxidation.
The cherries were floated in water to eliminate unripe and defective ones.
A rinse with water at 50 degrees Celsius (thermal shock) kickstarted the fermentation process.
Brewer's yeast was applied before sealing the batch in an air-tight tank.
The coffee underwent a 38-hour fermentation in an anaerobic environment.
Mechanically dried for 12 hours.
A 48-hour rest in a dark room ensued for stabilization.
Finally, the batch was dried under a canopy for approximately 15 days.