Colombia Rafael Aya Martinez

Rafael Aya Martinez has been growing coffee for over 20 years, and has even joked that he was given black coffee instead of milk as a baby. Originally from Alpujarra in the Tolima department, he moved to Huila at 17, where he met his wife, Elvira Cuéllar. Together, they settled near her hometown of Timana, purchasing a five-hectare farm. Rafael and Elvira are passionate about sustainable farming and animal husbandry. They are passing on their love of all things related to the land to their two sons, Rafita and Emanuel. They produce most of their own food, raising ducks, chickens, and tilapia, while also cultivating various crops like sugar cane, raspberries, and arracacha.

Rafael studied various coffee production techniques at the National Learning Service's Escuela Nacional del Cafe, and began producing specialty coffee in 2017. He now cultivates Caturra, Pink Bourbon, and Yellow Bourbon along the river valley near the main farmhouse, providing the coffee plants with a unique microclimate. This Pink Bourbon lot underwent a washed process, with 180 hours of fermentation before drying.