Independence Day bonus post!
I mentioned in another article that I joined a group SEY subscription several months ago. This month, I had last pick of our batch. As destiny would have it, I landed on a real treat. Juan Jimenez is a renowned producer in southern Huila, known for his award winning pink bourbon coffee crops. SEY has been roasting this particular coffee for several years - a wise man once told me it’s a good sign when a roaster has had a few passes to master a profile.
I received this washed coffee shortly after its roast date, June 16th. SEY recommends resting their coffee for two weeks, so today of all days (July 4th, in the year of our Lord 2026) is the perfect opportunity to try this coffee at peak freshness.
This coffee starts off promising from the moment the bag is unsealed. From the bag, I smell cherry cobbler and…authentic Neapolitan tomato sauce. Sounds weird, but it’s really nice.
The dry grounds invoke an image of cherry cheese danish.
My house mate’s pour over carafe having been recently broken, I brewed a pour over straight into my cup. 1:18 ratio, 210 F. I was a bit lackadaisical with my timing, wandering off after pouring the bloom to take note of the wild olfactory notes above. I returned after about three and a half minutes to finish pouring the full ratio — 15g -> 270g, as most standard coffee mugs become full at roughly 300g.
The brewed cup offers an understated, inviting nose; mildly sweet, interestingly contrasted with something vaguely savory.
To my delight, I perceive tasting notes of banana bubblegum that reminds me of a Belgian saison, or an ale like La Chouffe. There is some very lovely acidity on the back of the palette that compels another sip, then another. This acidity becomes more pronounced as the cup cools, reminiscent of canned fruit.
A second brew (following the Hoffmann Aeropress recipe) turned out much more tea-like, while retaining a similar character as the first. I still discern that essence of La Chouffe, though swaddled in a more gentle acidity.
The label suggests “a citrus forward profile, with apple blossom and lychee”. This cup is much closer to that profile. Much more delicate and balanced than the first — an arguably over-extracted (albeit quite good) pour over — I can certainly understand how the roasters reached their interpretation.
On the whole, this coffee represents mastery in specialty coffee. While probably not for every palette, it’s surprises like this that make experiments like my group subscription worth it to me.