This Colombia Nogales Mystic from the Czech roaster Krok is a filter coffee for those moments when you want a touch of mysticism, but not fortune-telling from coffee grounds. Cantaloupe, yellow fruit, and stevia-like sweetness create a flavor that feels almost like a little magic trick in your cup. The overall experience is juicy, fresh, and unusual enough to make you take a second sip just to make sure you didn’t imagine it.
Behind this coffee is the family-run Los Nogales farm near the town of Bruselas in the Huila region. Today, the entire project is led by Oscar Hernández, a third-generation local grower. His father, Ricaurte, helped bring the Bruselas region to wider attention when he won the Colombian Cup of Excellence in 2006. Oscar is continuing the family tradition while also taking it to the next level through science, innovation, and more sustainable farming practices. This lot consists of Yellow Bourbon, a variety from the Bourbon family known for its high quality potential but also for being more sensitive to growing conditions. It therefore requires more careful attention and suitable conditions to truly show its potential.
The greatest alchemy, however, occurs during the washed process with must fermentation. Ripe cherries are first sorted by hand, washed, and disinfected with ozone. After the skins are removed, a sugary juice called must is extracted from the sweet pulp, which is then added back to the de-skinned beans during fermentation. With this type of processing, it’s also possible to work with selected microorganisms, such as lactobacilli, which help control the fermentation process. And this is precisely where it becomes clear that there’s no magic behind this “mystique”—just very precisely controlled processing.
- Producer: Oscar Hernández / the Hernández family
- Farm: Los Nogales