Bella Vista: Honey Pink Bourbon from José del Mar Ordoñez, Two Years Running
For the second year running, we're pouring José del Mar Ordoñez's Honey Pink Bourbon. Bergamot up front, dried apricot through the middle, a soft toffee finish. We’ve named it Bella Vista, after his farm on the outer edge of San Agustín, Huila: the last coffee farm before the land climbs past 2,000 meters and gives way to the high mountains. If you're new to honey-processed coffee or wondering what makes Pink Bourbon worth seeking out, here's everything you need to know about the coffee, the farmer, and how to brew it.
Who is José del Mar Ordoñez?
José del Mar joined the monKaaba smallholder producer group in 2024, drawn by the chance to finally sell coffee under his own name. That's still rare in Colombia. Most smallholder lots get pooled with coffee from neighboring farms and sold as anonymous regional blends, so the grower behind the cup stays invisible. Producer groups like monKaaba work to change that. They connect smallholder coffee producers with roasters like us who value quality and pay prices that reflect the skill, care, and work behind every harvest.
José del Mar is known in the group for his traditionally washed Pink Bourbon, but it's his honey processing that sets him apart. He's the only farmer in the monKaaba collective working this method: three weeks of careful, selective picking, three days of tank fermentation, then drying the coffee with its sticky pectin layer (the "honey") still intact on the parchment. At nearly 2,000 meters of altitude, humidity and temperature swings make that drying window hard to control. Get it wrong and the coffee turns fermented or uneven. José stands out for his dedication to get it right, year after year.
We're grateful to monKaaba and Semilla Coffee for connecting us to his farm, Finca Bella Vista, and proud to bring his coffee back for a second harvest.
Photo: José del Mar´s Finca Bella Vista
Why Honey Process?
"Honey" refers to the mucilage, the sticky, sugar-rich layer around the coffee seed, not literal honey. In washed processing, that layer gets fully removed with water before drying. In honey processing, some or all of it stays on during drying, which lets the sugars and fruit compounds slowly work their way into the bean.
The result is a cup with more body and sweetness than a washed coffee, but cleaner and more defined than a natural (dried inside the whole fruit). Done well, as José del Mar does it, honey process can highlight a varietal's natural character rather than covering it up. That's exactly what happens with Pink Bourbon: the process amplifies the floral, fruit-forward qualities the varietal is known for, without pushing it into overripe or boozy territory.
Bella Vista Tasting Notes
- Bergamot, bright and floral on the first sip
- Dried apricot, carrying through the middle of the cup
- Toffee, rounding out a soft, sweet finish
Grown at 1,960 meters on Finca Bella Vista, this is a coffee that rewards a lighter touch, both in roasting and brewing. It's a good match for anyone who enjoys Ethiopian or Kenyan coffees for their florality, but wants something with a bit more sweetness and body underneath.
How to Brew Bella Vista: V60 Recipe
This is our house recipe for Bella Vista, built to bring out its floral top notes and juicy acidity without letting the delicate flavors get lost.
What you'll need:
- Hario V60 dripper
- Filter paper
- Kettle
- Digital scale
- Grinder (we use a Timemore C5 Pro)
- 25g Bella Vista, freshly ground
- 400ml filtered water, heated to 93°C
Ratio: 25g coffee : 400ml water (1:16)
Step by step
- Grind. Grind 25g of Bella Vista to a medium-fine setting: grind 17 on the Timemore C5 Pro, or roughly 630 microns on another grinder.
- Bloom. Pour a small amount of 93°C water over the grounds, just enough to saturate them, and let it sit for 30 to 45 seconds. You should see the coffee bed rise and bubble as it releases CO2.
- Pour. Add the remaining water in slow, steady stages, keeping the water level fairly consistent, until you reach 400ml total. Aim for a total brew time of 3 to 3:30 minutes.
- Taste and adjust. If the cup tastes bitter or harsh, set your grind coarser next time. If it tastes thin or sour, go finer.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Grinding too fine. Too fine a grind slows the drawdown and pulls out bitterness. If your brew time is creeping past 4 minutes, coarsen up.
Water too hot. Above 96°C, you risk scorching the more delicate floral notes that make Pink Bourbon worth drinking. Stick to 95°C or slightly below.
Skipping the bloom. With freshly roasted coffee, skipping the bloom means uneven extraction. Give it the full 30 to 45 seconds.
Photo: Something to celebrate: Last year, we were able to get a bag of José del Mar's coffee back to him in Colombia. First international sale of coffee under his own name, roasted by warawul and packed in a bag with his name on it. Still too rare in the coffee industry.
Where to Buy Bella Vista
Bella Vista is available in 250g, 450g and 1kg bags, whole bean or ground, along with the equipment you need to brew it well.
- Shop Bella Vista
- Pair it with a Hario V60 and a gooseneck kettle if you're brewing pour-over at home for the first time
FAQ
What does honey-processed coffee taste like? Honey-processed coffee typically has more sweetness and body than washed coffee, with a cleaner, more defined profile than natural-processed coffee. Bella Vista specifically shows bergamot, dried apricot, and toffee.
Is Pink Bourbon the same as Bourbon? No. Pink Bourbon is a distinct varietal, believed to be an Ethiopian heirloom variety that ended up in Colombia and was first identified in Colombia's Huila and Cauca regions. It's prized for its floral, tea-like character and is significantly rarer and more labor-intensive to grow than standard Colombian varieties like Castillo.
What's the best grind size for this coffee on a V60? Medium-fine. On a Timemore C5 Pro, start around grind 17 and adjust from there.
