Colombia Ombligon Washed - washed

Cup Profile:
violet, red fruits, tropical fruit, grenadine, sweet, cane sugar

Key Facts:
Peñas Blancas – Nestor Lasso, El Diviso, Huila
Washed, 1,780 m
Variety: Ombligon

About the Coffee:
Can’t get enough of Ombligon? Neither can we!

But here’s the thing: same same, but different. While we’re still putting our trust in Nestor Lasso and his farm El Diviso – and, more recently, in the Peñas Blancas Processing Center he co-founded – this time we’ve gone for a washed process.

And the result is every bit as impressive as what you’ve come to know from Nestor. In the cup, this Ombligon is intense, sweet and layered – but this time, alongside all that fruit, you’ll also find floral notes. A very distinctive, unmistakably Lasso interpretation.

About the Processing:
The ripe cherries are picked, disinfected – a common step in these carefully controlled, elaborate processing methods – and floated. They are first rested for 12 hours, undergoing a controlled oxidation process, before being exposed to a 25-minute thermal shock at 50 °C. The coffee is then depulped and anaerobically fermented for 80 hours.

To finish, the coffee is dried for around 32 hours in a specialised stainless-steel dehumidification system, until it reaches a final moisture content of 10–11%. The system allows for precise control over moisture loss and the drying curve. The drying room is dark and hermetically sealed to minimise terpene volatilisation, preserve the aromatics and prevent external contamination.

About Peñas Blancas:
In the south of Huila, in Acevedo, lies the Peñas Blancas Processing Center. Founded by Nestor Lasso (El Diviso) and Jhoan Vergara (Las Flores), it serves as a shared hub where small-scale farmers can access modern processing methods and achieve the consistent quality required by the international specialty coffee market.

In doing so, the centre addresses three challenges local producers have traditionally faced: limited access to modern processing techniques, inconsistent quality control and limited routes to market.

Farmers deliver their coffee to the centre and are paid directly for it. The coffee is then processed centrally under the supervision of the team on site, allowing lots to reach the required specialty quality and be sold at better prices.

Peñas Blancas works through direct trade relationships and transparent pricing. The aim is to provide producers with a more reliable income that they can reinvest in their farms.

Nestor Lasso is known for his experimental processing methods. His work with fermentation and quality control shapes the centre’s approach. Jhoan Vergara brings experience in farm management and post-harvest work. His focus is on supporting local producers, sharing knowledge and practical experience, and raising the international profile of coffees from Acevedo.

Education is an important part of the concept. The centre serves as a meeting point for producers, agronomists and coffee industry professionals, and offers training sessions and practical workshops.