Andres Cardona: Santa Barbara, colombia

Our newest release from Santa Barbara, Antioquia, Colombia, Andres Cardona, is the kind of coffee that instantly captures your attention and keeps you coming back for more. From its vibrant, red-fruit-forward profile to the thoughtful craftsmanship behind every step of its processing, this lot feels special from the very first sip. Produced at Villa Lucia and brought to us through Unblended, it’s a coffee we’d been eagerly anticipating after hearing so much about Cardona’s innovative approach to coffee farming and processing. The result is a cup that’s beautifully sweet, deeply expressive, and unlike anything else on our menu right now. We’re so excited to finally share it with you, and we hope it leaves the same impression on you as it has on us!

In the Cup

From the very first sip, this “Purple Honey” (or sugarcane co-ferment) delivers a wave of syrupy sweetness and jammy berry flavors. Blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, elderberry, and boysenberry all seem to unfold at once, creating a cup that feels vibrant and almost overflows with fruity notes. As it develops, a refined cabernet-like finish emerges, adding a layer of elegance and depth that balances the coffee’s intensity with something smooth and undeniably decadent. Beneath it all, notes of chocolate syrup round everything out, giving the cup a rich, lingering sweetness that ties everything together. Every element reflects the meticulous craft of Andres Cardona. It truly is a coffee defined by precision, care, and an unmistakable sense of expression in each cup.

Sugarcane Co-Ferment

This lot is a “Purple Honey” or sugarcane honey co-ferment, and this intricate process is where a lot of the magic happens. It’s a long, attentive process, and one that is surely worth the wait. The cherries are handpicked at peak ripeness, then sealed and fermented for 96 hours with water and sugarcane honey to amplify sweetness. After that, they’re carefully dried to lock the flavor in. The result is a cup that leans almost dessert-like — it’s intense, layered, and incredibly expressive, with a unique depth that is nearly impossible to grasp until you’re sipping it yourself.

Villa LucIa

Grown at the Villa LucIa farm in the Andes mountains of Santa Barbara, Colombia, this coffee is grown at elevations that range between 1,600–1,800 meters — ideal conditions for developing complex, high-quality specialty coffees. The farm has become known for pushing boundaries with experimental lots like this one, while still maintaining a deep respect for quality and consistency in every coffee they produce.

About Andres Cardona

Andres Cardona’s story is just as compelling as the coffee itself. He started working in coffee at 12, and over time, turned that experience into something much bigger. Today, his farm operates as both a production site and a processing hub, where he works with other local producers, buys their cherries, and applies his own fermentation techniques to elevate quality across the board. It’s a model that supports the community while continuing to push his own work forward.

Why We Love It

This is the kind of coffee that reminds you how dynamic coffee can be. It’s not just something you drink, it’s something you can and should experience. Bright, sweet, and a little unexpected, Andres Cardona is a cup we’ve been genuinely excited to share!