There are places in Colombia that time seems to have protected with special care. Gaitania, a village in the municipality of Planadas in southern Tolima, is one of them. At 1,800–1,900 metres above sea level, surrounded by the central cordillera and bathed in the morning mists of the Río Atá, this small coffee-growing community has produced for decades one of the most complex and aromatic coffees in the country.

The altitude factor

In the world of single-origin coffee there is a maxim: the higher the altitude, the greater the potential quality. But why?

At 1,900 masl the average temperature ranges between 14°C and 22°C. This thermal swing between day and night — what coffee farmers call "controlled water stress" — means the coffee bean ripens slowly, accumulating complex sugars and organic acids that are directly responsible for the fruity, floral and high-acidity profiles that characterise coffees from Tolima.

"In Gaitania the coffee is in no hurry to grow. And it is precisely that patience that gives it its character." — Don Víctor, third generation at La Finca La Rivera

The volcanic soil of Planadas

The coffee-growing region of Planadas sits on layers of andisol soils — volcanic soils with high organic matter content, excellent moisture retention and a porous structure that allows efficient drainage. These characteristics mean the coffee develops deep roots and has access to unique minerals from the Andean subsoil.

The combination of volcanic soil + extreme altitude + mist microclimate is what winemakers would call an irreplicable terroir. In coffee, as in wine, the land is in charge.

Three generations, one philosophy

La Finca La Rivera has been in the hands of the same family for more than 60 years. What began as a small plot of native varieties evolved over time, incorporating artisanal processing practices and preserving genetic varieties that the mass market long ago discarded for their low productivity but extraordinary quality in the cup.

• The JM variety — a hybrid conserved and selected by the family over decades
• The Bourbon Rosado — grown under shade with an artisanal Honey process
• The Blend — the most everyday yet equally exceptional expression of the origin

Why Gaitania is different

While major coffee regions such as Huila and Nariño have gained international recognition, southern Tolima remains a well-kept secret. Production is small — enough to maintain artisanal quality, insufficient for industrial volumes. And that, in the world of single-origin coffee, is exactly what makes it extraordinary.

If you have ever had a coffee with notes of chocolate, brown sugar and a bright tropical-fruit acidity, chances are you experienced the Honey process without knowing it.

The three main coffee processes

The coffee cherry — the red fruit that contains the bean — must be processed before it reaches your cup. There are three main methods, and the choice defines up to 40% of the final sensory profile:

• Washed: All the pulp and mucilage are removed before drying. Results in clean, bright cups with high acidity and flavour transparency.
• Natural: The whole cherry is sun-dried without pulping. Produces coffees with fermented, fruity notes and a dense body.
• Honey: The pulp is removed but some or all of the mucilage (the sugary gel surrounding the bean) is retained. The result: the best of both worlds.

Why "Honey"?

The name comes from the colour and texture the bean takes on during drying: golden yellow, shiny, sticky — like honey. Depending on how much mucilage is retained, the process is classified as Yellow Honey, Red Honey or Black Honey, with Black being the most intense in flavour.

"The Bourbon Rosado from La Rivera uses Red Honey — retaining between 50–75% of the mucilage. This gives it that natural sweetness and the fruity complexity that sets it apart."

The artisanal process at La Rivera

At La Finca La Rivera the Honey process is done entirely by hand. After selective harvesting, the coffee goes through:

• Mechanical pulping to remove the outer layer of the cherry
• Density sorting in water
• Slow drying in raised drying greenhouses (marquesinas) — up to 25–30 days
• Manual turning every 2–3 hours for even drying and fermentation control

This intensive process requires more time, attention and skill than conventional washing. But the result in the cup — those notes of sugarcane, almond and bright citrus — completely justifies the effort.

JM Coffee has a delicate profile that deserves a careful extraction. Its Red Honey process and the extreme altitude of Gaitania produce a dense bean with bright acidity and notes of lime and caramel that can easily be lost with an incorrect extraction. Here are the exact recipes.

General rules for the JM

• Water temperature: 90–93°C (never boiling)
• Grind: Medium-fine for filters, coarse for French Press
• Base ratio: 1:15 (1g coffee per 15ml water)
• Water: Filtered or bottled — tap chlorine destroys the aromas

V60 recipe (recommended)

The V60 is the method that best expresses the bright acidity and fruity notes of the JM.

• 15g medium-fine ground coffee · 225ml water
• Bloom: Pour 30ml at 93°C, wait 30 seconds
• Pour in circles up to 150ml — 1:30 min
• Finish with the remaining 75ml — 2:30 min total

Chemex recipe

The Chemex produces a cleaner, more transparent cup, perfect for detecting floral nuances.

• 30g medium ground coffee · 500ml water at 91°C
• Bloom of 60ml for 45 seconds
• Successive pours of 100ml every 30 seconds
• Total time: 4–4:30 min

French Press recipe

For a fuller-bodied cup with more texture from the bean:

• 14g coarse ground coffee · 210ml water at 90°C
• Stir gently, put the lid on and wait exactly 4 minutes
• Press the plunger slowly — do not force it down
• Serve immediately to avoid over-extraction

The Bourbon Rosado is considered by many experts to be one of the rarest and most exquisite coffee varieties in the world. Its history is a blend of botanical accident, near-extinction and passionate rediscovery by small producers like those at La Rivera de la Milagrosa.

Origins on La Isla de la Reunión

The Bourbon variety was born on the French island of La Isla de la Reunión (known as Bourbon in the 18th century), when Jesuit missionaries introduced arábica coffee from Yemen around 1715. Over generations of isolated cultivation, the plant mutated and produced a new variety with smaller beans but extraordinarily complex flavour.

The Bourbon Rosado specifically is a natural mutation that produces pink-coloured cherries instead of the traditional red — an indicator of a higher concentration of sugars and a unique sensory profile.

The near-forgotten variety

The Bourbon variety was widely replaced during the 20th century by higher-yield varieties such as Caturra and Castillo. The Bourbon Rosado almost disappeared entirely — too delicate for industrial monoculture, too low in productivity for conventional schemes.

"A Bourbon Rosado tree produces half the fruit of a Castillo. But the quality in the cup is twice as good. For us, the equation has always been clear." — Familia La Rivera

The rebirth in Tolima

Over the past decade, the Colombian single-origin coffee movement has rediscovered the Bourbon Rosado. Regions such as Huila and southern Tolima have shown that the altitude and temperature conditions are perfect for its cultivation. Today, the Bourbon Rosado from Gaitania achieves SCA scores above 85 points and is sought after by specialised roasters in Bogotá, Medellín and abroad.

The La Rivera Blend is designed to be versatile: the fusion of JM and Bourbon Rosado produces a balanced profile that adapts to almost any brewing method. Here are the optimised recipes for each one.

For Espresso and Moka

• Grind: very fine (espresso) or fine (Moka)
• Temperature: 90–95°C
• Espresso ratio: 1:2 (18g coffee → 36ml espresso)
• Extraction time: 25–30 seconds

The Blend as espresso reveals a robust body with notes of dark chocolate and a sweet finish. Ideal as a base for lattes and cappuccinos.

For V60 and Pour Over

• Grind: medium
• Ratio: 1:15 (15g → 225ml)
• Temperature: 91–93°C
• Bloom of 30ml for 30 seconds, then continuous pour over 2 min

For French Press

• Grind: coarse
• Ratio: 1:14 (28g → 400ml)
• Temperature: 90°C
• 4-minute immersion, slow press

For Aeropress

The Aeropress allows you to experiment with the Blend in a very controlled way:

• 16g medium-fine ground coffee · 240ml at 88°C
• Inverted method: 1 min immersion + gentle press over 30s
• Result: intense concentrate, low in acidity, ideal for diluting with hot water

In the world of single-origin coffee, altitude is not a detail — it is one of the most determining factors of quality in the cup. And the 1,800–1,900 masl of Gaitania, Tolima, are no coincidence.

The science behind altitude

At higher elevations, the ambient temperature is lower and the thermal difference between day and night is more pronounced. For the coffee plant, this means:

• Slower ripening: The fruit takes longer to mature, accumulating more simple and complex sugars.
• Greater bean density: High-altitude beans are denser and harder — better concentration of soluble solids and greater extraction yield.
• Brighter acidity: Low temperatures favour the formation of organic acids such as malic and citric — those responsible for the "lively" acidity of high-altitude coffee.

"A bean at 1,900 masl can take twice as long to ripen as one at 1,200 masl. That extra time is what separates a common coffee from a specialty coffee."

The SCA classification and altitude

The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) classifies coffees according to their sensory characteristics on a scale of 0 to 100. Coffees that reach 85 or more points are considered "specialty". In Colombia, the vast majority of those coffees come from altitudes above 1,600 masl.

The JM Coffee from La Rivera has achieved scores of 85–87 SCA — a result directly linked to altitude and the artisanal management of the farm.

The coffee flavour wheel has more than 800 descriptors. Floral, fruity, herbaceous, spiced, sweet, acidic... But you do not need to be a certified barista to learn to identify them. All you need is practice, attention and quality ingredients.

The four fundamental attributes

• Aroma: What you perceive before and during brewing. Inhale the freshly ground coffee — that moment concentrates all the complexity.
• Acidity: Not sourness or an unpleasant flavour. It is liveliness — the sensation on the sides of the tongue, like biting into a ripe raspberry. In the JM you will find a bright lime acidity.
• Body: The texture of the coffee in the mouth — from light (like water) to dense (like cream). The Blend has a medium-high body.
• Finish: What lingers on the palate 30 seconds after swallowing. In the Bourbon Rosado it is long and sweet.

Practical exercise: taste the three varieties

The best way to develop your palate is through comparison. Brew the JM, the Bourbon Rosado and the Blend using the same method (V60) and the same ratio, and taste them side by side:

• JM: can you notice the lime acidity? Is there something sweet at the finish?
• Bourbon Rosado: do you sense something reminiscent of chocolate or brown sugar?
• Blend: is it more balanced? Does the body feel different?

It does not matter if you do not use the "correct" descriptors — what is important is that you are training your brain to notice differences. With time, the words will come naturally.