Tabi. Yellow Colombia. Natural Dual Fermentation. 

Every bean has a story
Tropicana is our new coffee in the Flavor Pop series, and all in all another top and super delicious coffee from the Nestor Lasso and Jhoan Vergara in Colombia, and Finca El Diviso!

Nestor Lasso

Néstor’s journey began at 13, when he visited his first coffee lab. There, he learned about physical analysis, how to detect defects in the cup, and even began to hear about coffee varietals. He entered
the SENA Coffee School (National Training Service), where he learned to understand the entire coffee chain—from seed to cup. Then, he met producers who were also stepping into the specialty coffee world and visited other farms, drawing inspiration to bring new ideas into his own family business. He remembers how, back then, people saw fruity coffees as defects. And now he considers them as valuable attributes.

Through this journey, he connected with companies that had advanced technologies. It was here that he met seed providers, like Felipe Henao, who introduced him to the Sidra variety, as well as other suppliers from Ecuador. Together with a partner and family members, they planted 32,000 coffee trees. Néstor and Adrián became Q Graders, cupping and experimenting with different processes alongside their lab team. Jhonatan took charge of managing the cultivation side of the farm. Over the years, each of the brothers has purchased new lots from neighboring farms, gradually expanding what is now the family enterprise. This third generation firmly believes that quality is the true path to success.

The farm’s potential is evident through recent achievements in international competitions and events. For example, their coffee was used in the Brewers Cup in Ireland in 2021. The following year 2022 it was used in the national brewing championships in Chile, France, and Australia. Most notably, their coffee was prepared by Anthony Douglas in the World Barista Championship in Australia, where he took first place.

Tabi Variety

TABI means “good” in the Guambiano (a native Colombian tribe) dialect.

It was the correct name for this coffee beans variety given by Cenicafe, the Colombia coffee research institute, after 25 years of research. Tabi specialty coffee beans were developed using the hybrid of Timor and the varieties Bourbon and Typica, which are tall plants and mainly produced in areas of less rain and more direct sun, while being more resistant to leaf rust.

It’s not the easiest and most logical varietal to choose as it’s often a ‘hit or miss’.

 

Tropicana Processing

Tropicana coffee undergoes a unique dual fermentation process, first aerobic, then anaerobic, crafting an extraordinary profile.

The initial exposure to oxygen gives the character. The extended anaerobic submersion after that, highlights the stone fruit notes. A final hot and cold water quenching stage takes place to preserve the profile.

Drying takes place naturally in the sun in a Canopy. And then takes final shape in a Silos (Mechanic system). The coffee rests for a minimum of 10 days.

 

If you fancy more Lasso coffees, you can try the Bananarama!