Colombia Rodrigo Sanchez Laurina Natural

Finca La Loma is located in Vereda Agua Negra in the Pitalito municipality of Huila. The farm has 12 hectares planted with many varieties, including Caturra, Bourbon, Pacamara, Sidra, Sudan Rume, Laurina, and Geisha. The mill on the farm includes a depulper and tanks for dry fermentation. Producers Rodrigo Sanchez Valencia and Claudia Samboni have been cultivating coffee on La Loma since 2011.

In 2017, Rodrigo and his team at Aromas del Sur—the parent company for La Loma, El Progreso, Monteblanco, Las Veraneras, Monte Bonito, El Edén and Las Nubes farms and the Aromas del Sur dry mill—constructed a cupping lab on La Loma to facilitate sample roasting, crop evaluation, and sourcing at origin. The lab overlooks the farm and the valley of Pitalito, with coffee trees and other crops dotting the rolling landscape.

The first Laurina seeds were planted on La Loma in 2014. Of the first 1100 trees, only 383 survived to produce coffee cherries. The Laurina variety, also called "Bourbon Pointu" for the pointed shape of the plant, like a fir tree, is susceptible to many diseases and grows slowly. The variety is a Bourbon mutation that was first noticed on the Island of Réunion in 1947. Laurina is special for its naturally low caffeine content.

The team at Aromas del Sur measures the degrees Brix of all harvested cherries to designate them for the appropriate process. Laurina cherries with 24 degrees Brix were selected for Natural processing. They were float-separated to remove cherries with defects and then placed in the solar dryer for five days. Laurina Natural dries for an additional 22 days on shaded raised beds.

Due to its unique flavor and low caffeine content, Laurina has gained traction in the specialty coffee world. It is often highlighted in competitions and exclusive tasting events, appealing to coffee aficionados seeking rare and distinctive coffee. Its limited production and high demand contribute to its premium pricing and exclusivity.