Reserva De La Familia, Colombia

Each year, new, unusual, and rare coffee varieties spark interest within coffee communities worldwide. In recent years, the pursuit of novel varieties and processing techniques has driven global demand, as the value placed on innovation far exceeds the available supply. The Ombligon variety is one such discovery. While its exact origins and genetic lineage are still being researched, Ombligon is most widely cultivated in Colombia and shares visible traits with Caturra and Pacamara—particularly its high yield and resistance to leaf rust disease. Research suggests a possible connection to Ethiopian heirloom varieties, which would explain its distinctive flavour profile, similar to other recently analysed varieties like Pink Bourbon.

Ombligon’s rising demand in the specialty coffee world is largely due to its success in the World Coffee Championships. Its ability to produce highly complex and unique flavour profiles, combined with the ever-evolving processing methods in Colombia, results in standout cups that challenge conventional expectations of specialty coffee flavours.

La Reserva de la Familia is a small, carefully selected lot of naturally processed Ombligon. The coffee cherries are elongated and feature a distinct belly button-like shape at the base—hence the name ‘Ombligon’ in Spanish, meaning ‘belly button.’ This coffee comes from Villa Luz, a 15-hectare farm located at 1,650 metres above sea level, with five hectares preserved as pristine forest with natural water sources. The farm is managed by Emilson Mosquera, Ana Milena Morera, and their son, Victor Manuel Mosquera.

Though they only recently began producing specialty coffee, the quality of their work is evident in their meticulous cultivation practices. Their coffee trees are healthy, well-nurtured, and grown alongside shade trees such as guamo, cascarilla, mango, heliconia, and guava.

This passionate and hard-working coffee family shifted their focus to specialty coffee production in 2020 when Ana Milena began watching fermentation tutorials online and experimenting with processing techniques. Inspired by her discoveries, Victor Manuel proposed producing small batches specifically for competitions. Their dedication is already earning recognition, with Top 10 placements in prestigious competitions and auctions such as The Best of Cauca and Colombia Land of Diversity.

This lot undergoes a meticulous and multi-stage processing method. Only ripe cherries at optimal maturity are placed in open plastic tanks and left to oxidise for 48 hours, during which the coffee mosto—the natural juices expelled from the cherries—is continuously recirculated. After oxidation, the cherries are submerged in cold water, and any defective ones that float are manually removed. The best cherries are then selected for an anaerobic fermentation process in sealed tanks for 15 days at a low temperature of 15–18°C. Finally, the coffee is sun-dried on African beds for about 10 days.