Colombia - Finca El Mirador

Vanilla, jammy mango, and fresh strawberry flavours with a very creamy mouthfeel and sugary sweetness.

Elkin Guzman is an innovative producer we've worked with since around 2013. He inherited the family farm of over 70 years, El Mirador, from his mother, Fanny Vargas. Elkin has long been drawn to applied science, and his approach to coffee is no exception. This interest led him to Popayán, where he studied agricultural engineering at Cauca University. He then returned to the family farm, where his work is guided by methodical research and experimentation. After watching a presentation by Brazilian agro-engineer Dr. Flávio Borém, Elkin began pursuing new processing experiments. One method that emerged from this work, which we dubbed Natural-Hydro-Honey, involves picking coffee at peak ripeness, drying it as a Natural, then rehydrating, depulping, and processing it as a Honey. It's an unconventional approach — but it worked, producing coffees as unique as the process itself.

Elkin also shares his knowledge with other producers in the region. He believes the future of coffee is rooted in the past: for many producers, coffee is multi-generational, with farms passed down through families and dependent on the next generation to carry them forward. By maintaining farm health and improving processing quality, today's producers can set future generations up for success. Elkin hopes to help fellow coffee growers recognize their value in the production chain — not merely as workers, but as coffee experts who should be empowered to pursue quality and seek out new markets.