Bourbon Aji

Colombia | Patio Bonito | Paola & Carlos Trujillo | Bourbon Aji Natural | Signature Series

Bourbon Aji is a rare and intriguing coffee variety emerging from Colombia, known for its vibrant cup profile and unique origin story. Named after the spicy chili pepper (“ají” in Spanish) due to its bright red, elongated cherry shape, this variety is believed to be a natural mutation or selection of Bourbon, though its exact genetic lineage is still under research. Grown mostly in small quantities at high altitudes, Bourbon Aji has caught the attention of specialty producers for its striking flavor clarity, often showcasing intense florals, tropical fruit, and a sparkling acidity reminiscent of Ethiopian landrace varieties.

The natural process involves drying whole coffee cherries under the sun, allowing the beans to absorb flavors from the fruit as they dry. This results in a coffee with a heavy body, fruity sweetness, and complex flavors. It’s commonly practiced in Ethiopia and Brazil, where the climate is conducive to sun-drying.

For our exotic coffee, we store all the green beans frozen at -22°C in commercial freezers. This locks in freshness, halting enzymatic reactions that degrade flavor. Upon arrival we separate into small 2-3kg vacuum-sealed lots and freeze so that our greens do not age and we can sell these exotic coffees for years to come or until sold out.

This is a more accurate reflection of the actual roast colour than external as it's measured after grinding. Internal Agtron reveals how far into the bean the roast has penetrated. Our filter roasts often score over 100, preserving acidity, florals, and the unique vibrant characteristics of each origin and process. Please bear in mind that grind coarseness can affect the internal colour readings, so it is impossible to compare from roaster to roaster using this colour reading.

This refers to the surface colour of the whole roasted bean, but it's not always a reliable indicator of roast level. Some of our most vibrant and lightly roasted coffees, like our Ecuadorian Sidra, may appear medium-dark (Agtron 50–60) due to their surface colour, yet are in fact light roasts with minimal development time. Surface colour can be affected by the original green colour, bean type, density, and moisture — so don't judge a bean by its exterior.

The Agtron spread is the difference between the colour of whole beans and ground coffee, showing how deeply the coffee is developed. A spread of 0–10 usually indicates very dark, oily roasts typical of Italian-style, which we don't offer at our Roastery. Spreads between 11–20 and 21–30 represent the roast levels you'll find in our espresso coffees, balancing sweetness, acidity, and body. Spreads above 30 make up most of our filter coffee range, featuring very light, bright roasts that highlight fruity, floral, and complex flavours. Within this, spreads from 31–40 offer clarity and vibrancy, while spreads of 40–50 showcase ultra-light roasts with delicate acidity and nuanced character.

Cacao, jammy passion fruit, caramel, fresh blackberry, heather blossom honey, feijoa, papaya, kiwifruit

Colombia | Patio Bonito | Paola & Carlos Trujillo | Bourbon Aji Natural | Signature Series - When is peak flavour?

Patio Bonito is a family-run farm in Caldono, Cauca, led by the experienced and dedicated Carlos Arturo Trujillo, who has been growing coffee for nearly 50 years. “It’s been a long journey,” he says, “but deeply rewarding.” Working alongside him is his daughter, Paola Trujillo, who returned to the farm in 2022 after years as a cupper and buyer in Nariño and Huila. Since then, she’s been instrumental in refining their processing methods — introducing innovations like thermal shock and anaerobic fermentation to both their washed and natural coffees.

The Trujillos first partnered with Café Imports in 2015. Carlos reflects on that connection: “I'm proud of the relationship we’ve built and excited to see my daughters continue this legacy into the future.”

Patio Bonito spans 11 hectares, with 9 dedicated to coffee — 47,000 trees across 13 diverse varieties, including Gesha, Wush Wush, Pink Bourbon, SL-28, Sidra, Laurina, and more. The family’s work is guided by three core principles: food security, soil health, and responsible coffee cultivation. Their mission is to equip farmers and students with tools and training for sustainable farming and environmental stewardship. As they put it: “The best legacy we can leave our children is love, knowledge, and a planet to live on.”

We met Paola when she was in Australia doing a tasting tour & I'm very glad that we sell many of her fantastic coffees.

Bourbon Aji is a rare and intriguing coffee variety emerging from Colombia, known for its vibrant cup profile and unique origin story. Named after the spicy chilli pepper ("ají" in Spanish) due to its bright red, elongated cherry shape, this variety is believed to be a natural mutation or selection of Bourbon, though its exact genetic lineage is still under research. Grown mostly in small quantities at high altitudes, Bourbon Aji has caught the attention of specialty producers for its striking flavour clarity, often showcasing intense florals, tropical fruit, and a sparkling acidity reminiscent of Ethiopian landrace varieties.