It was on our trip to Colombia in late 2024 that we had the pleasure of meeting Alejandra at the dry mill in Pitalito, where we cupped her delicious Pink bourbon lot. During the cupping of various coffees and producers from the region, it was unanimous that this Pink bourbon was among the best on the table - to which Alejandra could barely hide her excitement.

Colombia is renowned for pushing the boundaries of coffee production and processing, being home to many of the world's best and highest paid producers.

Alejandra is working with female producers in the region, coordinating a women's group to provide access to education and training, working towards empowering women at the farm level to make decisions and increase leadership. Women carry the responsibility of maintaining the household alongside farm duties too, yet do not receive the same opportunities or recognition their male counterparts do, despite the extra workload.

Nevertheless it’s a joy to present this wonderful coffee from Alejandra, alongside the washed Caturra lot from her mother, grown side by side on their farm in Isnos, Huila.

In many coffee growing countries, the concept of women owning coffee farms is still uncommon and in some places, prohibited by government laws. Yet women contribute a staggering amount of the labour involved in producing coffee, from picking the cherries to hand sorting and processes. Supporting female producers and co-ops is crucial to eliminating the gender gap in coffee.