Colombia is by far one of the best known and beloved origins in the world of coffee, specialty or otherwise. Between 2023 and 2024 it was the third largest coffee-producing country by volume globally, which would 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. We’ve tasted many fantastic Colombian coffees roasted by Origin in the past, but we're particularly excited to share this one.

There is much to be intrigued and excited by in this special lot of Colombian coffee. While high-quality beans from the famous Huila region are already a treat for most coffee lovers, this particular lot was sourced for Origin by Qima, an organisation that has built a reputation around distributing some of the world's very best specialty coffee, while also devoting itself to sustainable economic development. Qima is particularly famous for specialty coffee from Yemen, but it also is doing great work in Colombia and Ecuador.

This lot is part of Qima's Competition 90+Series, which means it is an exceptionally high-scoring and rare lot. What's unique about this particular coffee is that it is comprised entirely of SL28, a variety created by Scott Laboratories in the 1930s for cultivation in Kenya. Known for its quality, it is typically grown in Africa and many coffee lovers will recognise it as a desirable specialty variety. This may be the first SL28 lot from Colombia that we've ever tasted, and it certainly is a rare find. It has also been processed as an anaerobic natural, an increasingly popular alternative processing method pioneered in Colombia which tends to provide particularly distinct flavour profiles.

Due to its pedigree, variety and provenance, this is truly an exciting and unique tasting experience for an adventurous specialty coffee lover. This lot is only available in small quantities, so we'd encourage you to buy a bag while you can.

Phaedon's tasting notes

Everyone once in a while, we get a lot of coffee that yields a bit of a, "whoa nelly" kind of response on the palate. This season, that coffee is definitely El Silencio. If you're looking for subtle or delicate flavours this coffee ain't for you but if, on the other hand, you're looking for a wild gustatory and olfactory ride, you'd better grab a bag while you can.

This coffee is intensely aromatic, in a fruity kind of way. I even described it as pungent or musky in some of my brewing notes. It's reminiscent of ripe tropical fruit, and it has the sweetness to match that particular flavour allusion. I noted mango, pineapple and passion fruit in some of my brews, and I must admit I thoroughly enjoyed the tropical flavour medley in pretty much every method I tried.

There's also something savoury to pick up in this coffee, though. I described it as slightly yeasty and I see my friends at Origin picked it up as hoppy, rather. We seem to at least agree on the general flavour vicinity of beer. You don't get many coffees with that kind of flavour profile. It's quite something!

Origin’s notes

• Flavour: Grape soda, blueberry, hops, figs, passion fruit sorbet
• Body: Medium smooth
• Acidity: Fruity
• Roast: Medium
• Suggested brewing methods: Chemex, aeropress, V60, siphon, espresso & milk-based

Coffee details from Origin

• Country: Colombia
• Region: Palestina, Huila
• Farm: El Silencio
• Altitude: 1,200 - 2,000 masl
• Variety: SL28
• Processing: Anaerobic natural
• Sourced from: Qima