El Meson Summer Harvest, Colombia

El Mesón embodies the vibrant spirit of a new generation in Colombian coffee farming. At the heart of their work is a remarkable variety called Pink Bourbon. Despite its name, it’s not a Bourbon at all. With its cherries ripening to a distinctive orange-pink hue, this variety is a recent migrant from Ethiopia. It sets itself apart with subtle notes of cherry, and white honey, with delicate florals that feel both rare and unforgettable.

In October 2024, we had the privilege of visiting Finca El Mesón, where Luz Divia Fierro, affectionately known as “Sandy,” and her husband Elpidio (“Pillo”) are cultivating something truly special. On land that once held cattle, they’ve built a thriving coffee farm with over 46,000 Pink Bourbon trees.

From the very first cupping, their coffee stopped we in our tracks. The clarity, the balance, and especially the delicate floral notes were striking and surprising — these flavors are rarely found with such consistency. It was immediately clear that this quality was not just luck but the outcome of meticulous care of Sandy and Pillo: from handpicking each cherry to the slow, patient drying process on rooftop beds.

But what moved us as deeply as the coffee itself was their story. Sandy and Pillo represent a new generation of producers in southern Huila. While rooted in family traditions, they are boldly carving out their own path with vision and intention. Their farm is a world of its own, a living ecosystem where alongside coffee they grow plantains, yucca, and sugarcane, raise cattle, and are raising their three children on the very same land. It’s a model of sustainability, built on heritage and innovation.

Of course, producing coffee of this caliber takes more than passion, it takes people. Skilled pickers hike steep hillsides, harvesting cherry by cherry. Yet too often, these pickers remain the invisible backbone of coffee - underpaid, overlooked, and left out of the protections and benefits that should come with their work. That’s why, when we learned about The Pickers Project, we committed to paying higher prices for El Meson’s coffee.

The Pickers Project is a not-for-profit organization with a threefold goal of ending worker exploitation in coffee, solving farmers' labor issues, and improving quality. This program helps provide fair wages, legal protections, healthcare, and training, ensuring that the people behind exceptional coffees receive the recognition and dignity they’ve long been denied.

Supporting The Pickers Project feels like a natural extension of what’s already in the cup, and it serves as a reminder that extraordinary coffee and the people behind it go hand in hand. When you buy El Meson in our cafes or purchase a bag to brew at home, you’re not just buying great coffee, you’re directly supporting the very people who worked hard to bring it to you. 

We’re now entering our third year of working with El Mesón, and we consider this a long-term relationship rooted in trust, care, and shared values. Sandy and Pillo’s coffee is more than just delicious, it’s inspiring.

El Mesón Summer Harvest represents George Howell Coffee's selection from Huila, Colombia, a region recognized for producing nuanced, balanced coffees. This lot features Pink Bourbon, a varietal known for its complexity and delicate character. The roaster identifies cherry and white honey as primary flavor drivers, complemented by floral notes—a profile typical of Pink Bourbon's expressive potential. George Howell Coffee, renowned for meticulous sourcing and roasting, has selected this harvest to showcase the producer El Mesón's work. The interplay of fruit sweetness and floral aromatics suggests a coffee with both brightness and refinement, inviting exploration across the full sensory spectrum from cup to cup.