Guilty Pleasure

Santa Barbara regional was produced by a group of small-scale farms that reside among the mountain forests of Santa Barbara. Ilama is made possible with the help of Benjamin Paz, winner of the Honduras Cup of Excellence 2024.

Our current blend comprises of a Washed Honduras and Washed Colombia.

The name Tolima is taken from the Pijao language and was translated from Dulima or Tulima which means “Snow River or Cloud”. The department has an expansive array of climates, from glacial climate zones of 5000masl with temperatures below 0°C, to warm climate altitudinal zones of 400masl and wide valleys with temperatures of 30°C. These diverse ranges help make Tolima the third largest coffee producer in the country, each with unique profiles.

The excellence of the coffee from this department is the result of many environmental conditions. The coffee growing band in the region is favoured for its tropical weather conditions and rich soil, naturally enhanced with volcanic ash from the nearby Nevado del Tolima Volcano. Traditional wet milling and natural drying implemented by the farmers, help to polish off the well-defined characteristics found in coffee from Tolima, often resulting in a full-bodied coffee featuring bold fruits and balanced sweetness.

The Santa Barbara regional is sourced from over 23 farms in the Santa Barbara region, all located between Lake Yojoa and Santa Barbara Mountain. Due to the climate in this area, the crops provide a very consistent cup profile year on year – with a good structure, and tropical fruit and honey flavours.

The washed coffee process, also known as the wet process, is a method of coffee production that emphasises the clarity and brightness of a coffee bean's flavor. In this process, the outer skin and pulp of the coffee cherry are removed before fermentation. The beans are then fermented in water for 12-48 hours to break down the remaining mucilage. After fermentation, they are thoroughly washed to remove any residue and then dried. This method results in a cleaner, more consistent flavour profile, highlighting the bean's natural acidity and fruity notes.