La Esperanza Papayo

Every year we find more and more obscure coffee varieties and experimental processes coming out of Colombia. If someone were to trace these trends back to their origins, Luis Anibal Calderon would be somewhere on the trunk of that tree. Luis Anibal was one of the first farmers in Colombia known to plant Gesha and Pink Bourbon trees and has been perfecting his approach to honey and natural processing of his coffees in the years since. 


Papayo is a new variety to us. It is relatively unknown in general, and very rare outside of Huila, Colombia. We were told that it was named Papayo based on its resemblance to the color of papaya, and it was thought to be a mutation of Caturra, but more recent reports connect it more closely with an Ethiopian Landrace. We knew none of this when we tasted the coffee and chose it based on its complex and nuanced profile alone. This washed processed Papayo is complex with soft fruit notes, a round body, and floral finish. As always with new varieties, we are enjoying the exploration of something unfamiliar with a whole new set of challenges and rewards.