Cesar Buesaquillo | Natural Pink Bourbon

Cesar Buesaquillo Natural Pink Bourbon

A note from James, Head of Coffee: 

It’s an absolute pleasure to bring you another exceptional coffee from Cesar’s farm. A standout on the cupping table, this is easily the finest Pink Bourbon we’ve tasted in the last two years. We love working with Cesar’s coffees and are excited to share more of his lots with you in the future. 

For this natural Pink Bourbon, the cherries undergo a 45-hour aerobic fermentation following Cofinet’s protocol, enhancing sweetness and complexity while allowing the character of the farm and variety to shine. They are then dried slowly on raised parabolic beds for 10–15 days, with regular turning to ensure even drying and exceptional consistency.

In the cup, expect elegant floral aromatics, vibrant yet delicate acidity, remarkable clarity, and a refined sweetness that lingers long after each sip. This is a beautifully expressive coffee that showcases exactly why Pink Bourbon continues to feature on our offering. 

James. 

Producer – Cesar Buesaquillo

Location – Buenavista, Quindio

Farm – La Esmeralda

Variety –  Pink Bourbon

Years Used – 2nd year

Altitude – 1750 - 1800 MASL

Process – Natural

Cupping  Notes – Jasmine, Raspberry Jam, Shiraz

Roast Level – Light

Suitable For – All Filter Brew Methods

Importer – Cofinet

Download a Digital Tasting Card

Disclaimer: Cupping notes are a guide based on what we tasted whilst cupping this coffee. Your experience may differ depending on brewing method.

About

Cesar Buesaquillo was born into a traditional coffee farming family. He owns the farm La Esmeralda which is 6-hectares in size and is located at 1800 m.a.s.l in Buenavista, Quindio. When you visit Don Cesar, you will see a marvellous view across his farm. Cesar has planted some beautiful shade trees on his farm such as Guamo, Yarumo, and Carbonero, and he also grows other crops on his farm like plantain, banana, and avocado.

Cesar has been involved in coffee farming all his life. His parents worked as coffee pickers and then farm managers on a variety of coffee farms. He would visit the farms his parents worked on and in doing so he fell in love with coffee. Approximately 20 years ago, his parents were able to purchase La Esmeralda which Don Cesar and his family now own.

Cesar, his wife Maria and their son Kevin manage all the operations at La Esmeralda. Maria supports Cesar in every step of their family business. She guides Cesar and they tackle the important decisions together, they are a very strong team.

The first years in coffee production weren’t easy because he came from a traditional farming background that was focused on producing commodity-grade coffee. Cesar wanted to pursue Specialty Coffee practices and focus on more unique varieties so he had to change his approach to farming. He started planting Pink Bourbon and then Gesha. Now, he is constantly experimenting with processing methods and believes quality should be the focus of the coffee industry moving forward into the future.

When not working on the farm, Don Cesar enjoys time with his family, drinking coffee or sharing a meal while sitting on the patio and basking in the beautiful view over his farm.

The variety

With its distinctive pink cherries and outstanding cup quality, Pink Bourbon has become one of Colombia's most sought-after coffee varieties. Believed to have originated as a natural mutation in the highlands of Huila around 1980, its exact lineage is still debated, with some researchers suggesting it may share ancestry with Ethiopian landrace varieties.

Thriving at elevations between 1,700 and 2,100 m.a.s.l., Pink Bourbon develops the bright acidity, floral aromatics and vibrant fruit character that have made it a favourite among producers and roasters alike. While it requires careful cultivation due to its susceptibility to diseases such as coffee leaf rust, the reward is a remarkably expressive cup with sweet, silky, fruit-forward flavours.

The Processing Method

At La Esmeralda, Cesar and his team selectively hand-pick only the ripest cherries before carefully sorting and floating them to remove any underripe or defective fruit.

The cherries then undergo a 45-hour aerobic fermentation following Cofinet's protocol, enhancing sweetness and complexity while allowing the coffee's origin character to shine. After fermentation, they are dried slowly on raised parabolic beds for 10 to 15 days, with regular turning to ensure even drying and consistent quality.

The result is a clean, expressive coffee with vibrant fruit character, layered sweetness and a full, silky body.

Filter Recipe

This is a good starting point for all of our Filter coffees. Adjust Accordingly to your own preference.

Ground Coffee: 20g

Brewed Weight: 300g

Contact Time: 3-3:30 mins

Water

Your brewing water can make or break whether a coffee tastes vibrant and expressive or flat and muted. Since local water supplies vary, we’ve partnered with Apax Lab to help optimise your home brewing water.

The following recipes are designed as starting points, focusing on clarity and even extraction to let the coffee’s natural acidity and sweetness shine.

For the Low-Key Approach

Base Water: Christchurch tap water

• Hardness (GH): 45ppm

• Alkalinity (KH): 52ppm

Apax Drops per 1L:

• Tonik: 10 drops

• Jamm: 5 drops

Since the alkalinity is already relatively high, Lilac is not needed, as alkalinity naturally buffers acidity. Instead, we focus on Tonik to increase hardness for improved extraction and Jamm to enhance texture, helping round out the cup.

Adjusting for Local Water Conditions

Christchurch's water supply is sourced from multiple groundwater wells across the city. While the overall water profile is relatively consistent, natural variation exists between supply zones. As a practical rule of thumb, the PPM may vary by approximately 5–15 ppm depending on location.

For this reason, the recommended APAX recipe should be viewed as a starting point rather than a fixed target. The strength of the APAX system lies in its flexibility; mineral ratios can be adjusted easily to suit local water conditions and taste preferences.

If coffees taste flat or lack vibrancy, increasing Tonik may improve extraction, flavour clarity, and acidity. If coffees taste overly sharp or acidic, increasing Jamm may help improve balance and perceived sweetness. Adjustments should be made incrementally and evaluated through taste.

For the Coffee Geek

Base Water: Fully distilled water (<1ppm TDS)

Apax Drops per 1L:

• Tonik: 30 drops

• Jamm: 5 drops

• Lilac: 10 drops

This recipe provides a balanced foundation that can be adjusted further depending on your taste preferences and the coffee being brewed.

If you are outside of Christchurch, we recommend using the distilled water recipe. 

Always add to the water before brewing - not the brewed coffee. 

If you need assistance or are simply curious about the Apax drops, our Head of Coffee, James, welcomes all enquiries. You can get in touch at james@coffeeembassy.co.nz.

Recommended Brewing Age

14+ days after roast date