Juan Martin · Twin Pack

These two coffees come from an experimental farm project in the Cauca region of Colombia. What makes this offering special and unique is that it is the same coffee from the same farm, processed two different ways.

Finca Juan Martin is a coffee farm and washing station owned by coffee exporter, BanExport. The entire point of the farm is to develop experimental varieties, processing techniques, and cultivation methods — on one hand as a means of discovery, and on the other as a resource to the other farmers the company works with.

Late last year Fieldwork were choosing coffees for the World AeroPress Championship in a blind tasting, and locked onto two samples — obviously different, yet with a common thread between them. On the reveal, they were Finca Juan Martin’s washed and natural striped red bourbon. 

When it comes to the variety of this coffee, very little is known. It was discovered in the San Adolfo region and is visibly different from other varieties but, as of yet, no genetic testing has been done. At maturity, the coffee cherry presents as a deep red with orange stripes, leading to its being named ‘striped red bourbon’.

This is the first time Fieldwork have offered a naturally-processed coffee that they believe is wonderful and representative of its variety and of where it's grown. By offering it in this twin pack they are providing a rare and intriguing opportunity to look at the same coffee, processed in both the washed and natural methods.

On their own, each coffee is wonderful, but to taste them side-by-side is to understand so much more about what processing does to coffee. And in this particular instance, it's a great example of how, when done carefully and conscientiously, natural processing can produce great results.

Juan Martin - Natural - Tasting notes: Candied pineapple, Limeade, Dried Mango
Juan Martin - Washed - Tasting notes: Milk chocolate, Butterscotch, Fresh mulberries 

This product is a twin pack containing 2 x 250g bags of whole bean coffee.