Las Perlitas

Throughout the harvest, it’s quite common that small-holders in Colombia produce lots that aren’t large enough to be exported on their own. However, the quality is often just as good (or better) than samples received from larger lots. As such, The Coffee Quest, our export partner on this coffee, buys all coffees, regardless of size and creates a larger, export-size lot based on cup score and profile.

The result is Las Perlitas, a celebrated washed coffee of various small lots from producers in Huila, whose farms range in elevation from 1,600 to 2,000 m.a.s.l. and grow Pink Bourbon. In most versions, there is usually a mix of varieties, which include Caturra, Pink Bourbon and even sometimes Gesha. However, with the amount of Pink Bourbon being planted in Huila these days, these lots are often very heavily weighted with that variety!

The Coffee Quest needed a way to award this kind of commitment without punishing producers for the lack of volume, because that is not what specialty coffee is all about. It has definitely been a team effort with their buying stations across Huila, always hunting for these little lots, but everyone is proud of the work put in, from the producers that contribute to it to the team at Even. We believe in the ever-improving quality at farm level, and it is only natural for us to exalt those who, with great passion and perseverance, achieve a micro-lot quality coffee. The idea of Las Perlitas was born from this train of thought.

In the cup, you’ll find a deeply layered sweetness that reminds us of caramel. As well as notes of sweet raspberry and sweet red apple, like the old-fashioned red candy apple on a stick. Even the acidity is soft and reminiscent of sweet lime.