COLOMBIA HUILA ROSÉ BOURBON

Tastes Like: Floral, Rose Tea, Red Berries

Why I'm Obsessed: Today we’re giving a big welcome to Coffee by Design, the female-owned, B-corp, Maine-based specialty roaster who captured my heart from the get-go. I cupped through a lot of their coffees, and I kept coming back to this one, their exceptional Colombia Huila Rosé Bourbon. This coffee is strikingly elegant. It opens with a syrupy, floral note, before settling into this lovely red-fruit background that stays light and bright, like cherry hibiscus tea with a whisper of fresh berries. The body is round and silky, maybe ever so slightly effervescent. Hint of juicy pink grapefruit in the finish. If you love sparkling rose wine, this coffee brings the same indulgent energy to your morning.

The varietal behind it, Pink Bourbon, is having a serious moment in the specialty world. It first made waves at the 2023 World Barista Championships when two finalists used it in the final round. And for good reason: Pink Bourbon carries a unique combination of citrusy acidity and delicate floral sweetness, thanks to the high sugar content of the bean. This particular lot comes from La Primavera farm in Huila, Colombia, run by José Oliver Galindez, a second-generation farmer who grew up working his father's fields. The processing is meticulous: 36 hours of submerged fermentation, then 36 more hours of dry fermentation in an oxygen-rich tank, before 18 days of slow canopy-drying. That care translates directly to the cup: it’s clean, expressive, and with what I can only describe as an oxymoronic “light richness”.

By way of this coffee, I'm also so excited to introduce you to Coffee by Design, roasting out of Portland, Maine. Founded in 1994 and going strong for 30 years now, they've built something genuinely special — a coffee company that's as obsessive about community as it is about the cup. Every coffee is traceable to the farmer. They're a certified B Corp, they've donated nearly $750K to origin communities, they run a fund that supports local arts and social change, and they partner with the International Women’s Coffee Alliance. Oh, and they were also named Roast Magazine's Roaster of the Year for 2020, NBD! Their coffee menu is extensive, and there's truly something for everyone. Join us in welcoming CBD to the Bean Box family and grab their Rose Bourbon while it lasts. Consider it your post-Valentine’s, first-sip-of-spring coffee, and a beautiful addition to your morning ritual.

Bottom Line: If you love hibiscus tea, sparkling rosé, or supporting specialty roasters who use their influence to make a measurable, positive impact on the world.

Operated by José Oliver Galindez, who grew up working in his father’s coffee fields, La Primavera reflects a deep commitment to quality and innovation. José focuses not only on producing exceptional coffees, but also on researching agricultural machinery that helps improve efficiency and quality of life for producers. Alongside eight hectares of protected natural reserve, the farm is equipped to process both natural and washed coffees.

After harvest, these ripe cherries are submerged and fermented for 36 hours, then pulped and dry-fermented in an oxygen-rich tank for an additional 36 hours. The beans are rinsed twice and slowly dried under canopy for 18 days, resulting in a clean, expressive cup.