Colombia is far and away one of the most celebrated origins in the world of coffee, specialty or otherwise. It is the fourth largest coffee-producing country by volume globally, which would already be impressive enough on its own, but the South American state is also famous for producing some of the best specialty-grade Arabica you could hope to taste.

In recent years, innovative processing techniques have become quite popular in the Colombian coffee industry, and Colombian coffee producers have gained notoriety for successfully leveraging experimental new approaches to produce some incredibly unique coffees.

Among these Colombian coffee producers, there are a handful that have earned celebrity status on a global scale thanks to their progressive processing and the sheer quality of their coffee. One of those is Nestor Lasso, of El Diviso. Both of these names will bring a knowing smile to a specialty coffee professional's face and they certainly have the same effect on ours. You never want to miss out on the opportunity to taste a coffee from El Diviso.

Our friends at Cedar have shared many spectacular lots from Colombia with us over the years, including a few memorable ones from El Diviso. By working with coffee distributors like Sabores (who sourced this particular lot) they have shared some truly world class coffees with us, and this one bodes to be a landmark flavour experience for many reasons.

Not only is this an anaerobically processed coffee from Nestor Lasso, a producer who certainly knows a thing or two about this approach to coffee processing, it is also a comparative tasting opportunity of note as there is both an anaerobic washed and an anaerobic natural version to taste. Any coffee nerd will relish the opportunity to taste two coffees side by side that are identical except in the use of these cutting edge processing techniques.

The intrigue doesn't stop there, however. These coffees also happen to be entirely comprised of a variety of Arabica called Yellow Papayo which we had neither heard of nor tasted until receiving our sample bags. Believed to be closely related to indigenous Ethiopian coffee varieties, Yellow Papayo is prized for its flavour potential and should offer something special to experience in its own right.

If you've read this far, you probably understand why this duo of coffee releases from our friends at Cedar and our friend at Sabores, are truly worthy of excitement. We've made both options available on this product page. Just use the drop down menus to choose your bag size, and your preferred processing method to sample first, but we'd highly encourage you to add both to your order while you can. These kind of tasting opportunities don't come around often!

Phaedon's tasting notes

Even after 11 years of tasting coffees for a living (or at least part of it), there are still some flavour experiences that leave me like a kid in a candy store. This was definitely one of them. To give credit where it's due, my friends at Cedar and Sabores create more than their fair share of those types of tasting experiences.

Anaerobic washed

While definitely the more subtle of the two lots, the anaerobic washed, which was the first one I tasted, is a wonderful coffee in its own right. Offering a surprisingly clean cup profile for an anaerobic coffee (this is where Nestor Lasso's experience with this approach becomes clear), it has a lovely combination of both sweet and savoury flavours, with a hint of something floral in some cups. I personally picked up some herbal tea notes, perhaps even some rosehip, with a honey-like sweetness, and a subtle hint of stone fruit. I loved this lot in immersion brews specifically.

Anaerobic natural

While the anaerobic washed offers a delightful and relatively discrete flavour experience, the anaerobic natural is on the complete opposite end of the spectrum; it's a veritable fruit flavour explosion. Bursting with berries, ripe orange citrus and even some hints of tropical notes, its sweetness is hard to believe. It's like a freshly squeezed fruit cocktail. There are also some interesting aromatics detectable in some cups, particularly ones that allow some oils through like a French press. They offer something a bit like a fruity perfume. I loved this one every way I brewed it and particularly in pour-overs.

Coffee notes & details from Cedar

• Farm: El Diviso
• Producer: Nestor Lasso
• Region: Huila
• Country: Colombia
• Process:  Anaerobic washed / anaerobic natural
• Altitude: 1,780 masl
• Variety: Yellow Papayo

"El Diviso has probably become one of the most famous Colombian farms in recent times. Owned by Nestor Lasso and his brother Adrian. The farm is known for its focus on quality and innovation, working closely with CATA Export to refine fermentation processes and showcasing the farm's commitment to producing exceptional coffees.

"We sourced two lots from this year's harvest. A washed and natural process. What's really interesting about this lot is this new varietal called Yellow Papayo; its a rare and unique coffee known for its distinct flavour profile.This particular varietal is believed to have a close relationship with Ethiopian Landraces which would explain its dynamic flavour structure."

Anaerobic natural

• Cup profile: Cherry Candy, Mixed Berries, Caramello

"The cherries are disinfected, floated to remove impurities, and hand-selected to ensure only fully ripe cherries are used. The fermentation process includes 48 hours of oxidation in plastic tanks, followed by 32 hours of anaerobic fermentation in sealed bags or tanks at 17-20°C, with leachate collection and reuse. The coffee then undergoes submerged fermentation for 12 hours with leachate addition and recirculation at 17-23°C, and finally, a thermal shock at 65-70°C to finalize fermentation. Drying is done using stainless steel dehumidifiers in a dark, airtight room, allowing for precise moisture control with temperatures not exceeding 37°C until reaching a final moisture content of 10-11%.

"This coffee showcases a dynamic flavour profile that adapts to brewing methods. As an espresso, it's characterized by prevalent cherry candy sweetness. When brewed as a filter, it becomes light and vibrant with mixed berry sweetness, hints of rose water, and bright citrus notes. When paired with milk, it transforms into a rich chocolate-caramel experience, reminiscent of traditional caramelo chocolate, adding a new dimension to its flavour profile. This is one of those coffees that you need to brew in all sorts of ways to experience its versatility."

Anaerobic washed

• Cup profile: Apricot, Sweet Naartjie, Wafer Biscuit

"Cherries are disinfected and floated to remove impurities, followed by anaerobic fermentation for 48 hours at 17-23°C. It then undergoes the pulping process, which is the removal of the outer skin to expose the mucilage. It then goes through an oxidation phase for 36 hours with leachate addition, followed by 24 hours of submerged fermentation with recirculation and thermal shock with hot water at 65-70°C. The coffees are then dried using stainless steel dehumidifiers for precise moisture control, with drying temperatures below 32°C and a final moisture content of 10-11%.

"This coffee presents a complex flavour profile with notes of apricot and citrus, reminiscent of sweet naartjie. When paired with milk, it develops a sweet and creamy character, with hints of wafer biscuit. This coffee is best served black, whether it's as a light vibrant filter or a juicy citrus espresso."