El Vergel, or Black Mountain, rests on an inactive volcano in the Tolima region of Colombia, that has created incredibly nutrient rich soil for planting. El Vergel is owned and operated by Martha Bayter, and her two sons Elias and Shady. We were really drawn to their passion for innovation and growing exceptional coffee, and currently El Vergel has more than 22 varieties of coffee, a testament to their hard work and passion for coffee. We have been building this relationship for several years, and we are thrilled to make a substantial volume commitment to the Bayter's in 2023. This washed lot is 100% Caturra variety. It was hand picked with a focus on ripe cherry selection, and harvested in November of 2022. The coffee was washed and fermented for 24-hours, and then dried mechanically for one week. The result is a beautifully consistent, sweet and balanced coffee that represents all the hard work on El Vergel. In this #1 version of the roast, we take a light handed approach with the roast, ending at a lower roast level than El Vergel #2. The coffee develops to a cinnamon color. The light roast profile allows us to showcase the milk chocolate sweetness and pleasing apple-like acidity inherent in this delicious coffee.