YESSICA PARRA – AJI, WASHED - COLOMBIA

THE STORY OF DIWAN COFFEE STARTS 4 GENERATIONS PRIOR, WITH YESSICA AND DIEGO'S GREAT-GRANDFATHER PLANTING COFFEE AS A CASH CROP TO SUPPORT HIS FAMILY. THEIR GRANDFATHER AND HIS WIFE TOOK UP THE MANTLE NEXT, EVENTUALLY TRANSITIONING TO PURCHASING CHERRY FROM THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY ON BEHALF OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF COFFEE GROWERS: A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION FORMED IN 1927 THAT PROMOTES, ADVERTISES, AND FACILITATES THE SALE AND EXPORT OF COLOMBIAN COFFEE. AFTER GROWING UP IN THE FAMILY BUSINESS, THEIR FATHER EVENTUALLY MOVED TO PITALITO TO GET A DIFFERENT JOB IN HOPES OF BETTER OPPORTUNITIES. INTERESTED IN HER FAMILY'S HISTORY IN THE COLOMBIAN COFFEE INDUSTRY, YESSICA BEGAN TO TAKE COFFEE EDUCATION COURSES AFTER GRADUATING FROM HIGHSCHOOL. ONCE SHE REACHED A CERTAIN LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE, SHE BEGAN TEACHING COURSES AT  SENA, A COFFEE EDUCATION PROGRAM IN COLOMBIA.SHE ALSO TOOK DIFFERENT JOBS IN THE INDUSTRY, EXPANDING HER EXPERTISE TO ALL ASPECTS OF IT FROM CUPPING AND LOGISTICS TO LOCAL SOURCING AND BUYING. HER CAREER PURSUIT IN COFFEE EVENTUALLY INSPIRED HER BROTHER DIEGO TO GAIN AN INTEREST IN IT AS WELL. 3 YEARS AGO THEY BOTH BEGAN A SMALL PROJECT CALLED DIWAN COFFEE, PURCHASING LAND TO BEGIN GROWING AND DEVELOPING ADVANCED PROCESSING TECHNIQUES. TODAY, DIWAN HAS BECOME A POPULAR ROASTED COFFEE BRAND WITHIN COLOMBIA AND IS NOW EXPORTING THEIR FIRST HARVEST!

THIS WASHED AJI LOT CAME TO US ORIGINALLY AS A PRE-SHIPMENT SAMPLE, WHEREUPON WE IMMEDIATELY ATTEMPTED TO PURCHASE IT AND IT WAS SOLD OUT. HOWEVER, WE GOT SUPER LUCKY AS THE HARVEST WAS STILL ONGOING AND YESSICA HAD ALREADY BEGUN PROCESSING A NEW BATCH! THIS LOT, HAVING JUST CAME OFF THE TREES ABOUT 50 DAYS AGO, IS AT PEAK FRESHNESS WITH JUST BARELY ENOUGH REST FOR STABILIZATION . AT AN EXTREMELY LIGHT ROAST LEVEL, IT SHOWED A BEAUTIFUL FLORAL CLEANLINESS WITH HEAVY YELLOW FRUITED UNDERTONES. IN THE CUP,WE FOUND NOTES OF LEMONBALM AND LEMONGRASS, WITH SOME MORE PUNCHY CITRUS ON THE FOLLOWUP. AS THE CUP BEGAN TO COOL, IT OPENED UP TO AN ARRAY OF TROPICAL FRUITS LIKE STARFRUIT AND PINEAPPLE, WITH A GINGER CANDY SPICED SWEETNESS.