This unique coffee was produced by José Hernán Salazar Benavides and Marina Elina Ansasoy on their farm Finca La Guaca, which is situated in the town of Pitalito of Southern Colombia. José’s and Marina’s coffee was initially brought to our attention at Colombia’s Cup of Excellence competition in 2020, where we purchased it through the Cup of Excellence auction. This lot is an “Ají” variety coffee, which is the Spanish word for chili pepper. José named it after noticing the spicy smell of its cherries. These subtle chili pepper-like qualities are also subtly present in the cup, giving this coffee a truly one-of-a-kind flavor. After questions were raised about this obscure variety during the 2020 Colombia Cup of Excellence competition, Cup of Excellence decided to have it tested by RD2 Vision, a coffee research and development company based in France. It was determined that “Ají” is a newly discovered Ethiopia Landrace, simply meaning it’s a previously unknown heirloom variety from Ethiopia, where Arabica coffee originates. Landrace plants are grown from seeds that have not been systematically selected or hybridized by plant breeders. 

Finca La Guaca was sparsely planted with coffee trees when José took over farm ownership in 2001. The previous owner taught José proper processing techniques and farm management. Today, José primarily focuses on harvesting and fermentation, while his wife Marina manages the washing and drying of the coffee. In addition to coffee, the family also cultivates plantain, yucca, beans, corn and tomatoes for personal consumption and supplement income.