Tabi Honey-Colombia El Espejo Best of Tolima Auction Lot 4oz

This is a coffee you don’t rush through.

From the first sip, you can tell something special is going on. There’s structure, sweetness, and fruit—but it’s the kind that unfolds, not explodes. Layer after layer of ripe berries, tropical sugars, and soft acidity—all tethered by balance. It’s vibrant, but never loud. And that kind of harmony doesn’t just happen. It’s the result of extraordinary care from farmer Gabriel Ricardo Ávila.

This lot is a honey-processed Tabi—a hybrid varietal developed in Colombia to resist disease while retaining the cup quality of its Bourbon and Typica lineage. But it’s how Ricardo handles the process that makes this coffee stand apart.

Fermentation starts with whole cherries, sealed in barrels for 36 hours. This anaerobic stage allows fruit esters and enzymatic activity to develop without introducing harsh acidity or funk. Then, after depulping, the coffee is fermented again—this time for 25 hours. The goal here is controlled depth: to encourage complexity without losing clarity.

Drying is slow and measured. The coffee enters a mechanical dryer for 180 hours—about a week, depending on ambient conditions. It’s removed briefly, given 48 hours to rest, then returned to the dryer for a final stabilization. This reintroduction helps lock in sweetness and reduce water activity in a way that gives the coffee stability without muting its character.

Even after drying, the coffee isn’t rushed to market. It rests for 20 days—long enough to allow the flavors to settle and the structure to refine. What you get in the cup is the product of patience. And precision.

So what does it taste like?

Think sweet passionfruit, ripe blackberry, maybe a little lychee or papaya. It’s got a round, syrupy texture—clean, but full—and a soft, red-fruited acidity that keeps it lively without being sharp. That’s the mark of a well-executed honey process: the best of both worlds—fruit and clarity, sweetness and structure.

This isn’t a flashy coffee. It’s a thoughtful one. It rewards attention. It speaks to a farmer who knows his trees, knows his process, and knows what he’s after in the cup.

And honestly? We’re lucky to have it.