El Diviso – Ají

Our relationship with Nestor Lasso goes back many years and has grown alongside his own remarkable rise within specialty coffee. Over that time, we have shared stages, events and cupping tables around the world, welcomed Nestor to our café in 2022, and visited El Diviso twice, witnessing first hand the pace of innovation taking place on the farm.

Together with his brother Adrian, Nestor has transformed the family farm near Pitalito, Huila, into one of Colombia's most progressive coffee projects. Sitting at around 1,750 metres above sea level, El Diviso has become synonymous with experimental varieties and precision-driven processing, helping redefine perceptions of Colombian coffee on the world stage.

Working closely alongside Jhoan Vergara and Cata Export, the team has developed increasingly sophisticated fermentation protocols, combining a deep understanding of the raw material with an uncompromising pursuit of flavour. Their work has earned international recognition, including championship success, while continuing to evolve from one harvest to the next.

What has always stood out to us about Nestor is his relentless curiosity. Despite everything El Diviso has achieved, there is a constant desire to experiment, refine and discover something new. This Ají is another beautiful example of that philosophy: an extraordinary variety paired with a carefully structured process that amplifies its tropical fruit, florality and confection-like sweetness.

It is a relationship we have watched evolve over many years, and one we remain incredibly proud to continue.

Ají is one of the most fascinating varieties to emerge from southern Huila in recent years. Often referred to locally as Bourbon Ají, genetic analysis suggests that despite its name, it is not closely related to Bourbon, but instead linked to Ethiopian landrace genetics. The name Ají, meaning chilli pepper in Spanish, is associated with the distinctive spicy aroma found around the cherries and mucilage.

At El Diviso, Nestor takes this unusual variety through a highly structured Advanced Natural process designed to build aromatic intensity, sweetness and complexity while maintaining definition in the cup.

Only fully ripe Ají cherries are selectively hand harvested before resting for 24 hours of controlled oxidation, beginning the development of the coffee's fruit character. The whole cherries are then sealed inside tanks for 48 hours of anaerobic fermentation, followed by a second 48-hour anaerobic stage inside sealed fermentation bags. This extended, low-oxygen environment builds further sweetness, ripe fruit intensity and confection-like complexity.

A carefully controlled thermal conditioning stage follows, stabilising fermentation and helping preserve the aromatic compounds developed throughout the process. The cherries are then slowly dried on raised beds beneath solar marquesinas for approximately 15–20 days, with regular turning to promote even dehydration. Once they reach 10–11% moisture, the coffee rests for a further 20–30 days under controlled conditions, allowing the profile to stabilise and integrate before milling.

In the cup, expect strawberry, peach and haribo cherries. Complex and layered, the profile combines vivid, tingling acidity with ripe stone fruit sweetness and intense fruit aromatics. Juicy strawberry and peach develop into a distinctive red cherry candy character, carrying through to a long and remarkably expressive finish.

This is an extraordinary expression of Ají, bringing together one of Huila's most intriguing varieties with the precision and fearless approach to processing that continues to define Nestor and El Diviso.