Since childhood, coffee has been an essential part of James Fernández’s life. He grew up surrounded by coffee plants, learning the trade alongside his parents and grandparents. His restless spirit led him to diversify his crops in search of new opportunities, but he never stopped feeling a special connection to coffee. Eventually, he returned to the coffee sector and discovered his true passion within it.
James began by planting Castillo coffee and, over time, improved his production methods and learned about various processes. Later, he expanded his business by selling seedlings and seeds of different varieties. It was then that he discovered the Geisha variety, which was little known at the time but had unique sensory characteristics that inspired him to cultivate it. Using his best seeds, he established one of the purest plantations of this variety.
At the same time, James began his professional career in the coffee industry as a laboratory assistant with our exporter partner, Banexport. Thanks to his discipline and talent, he advanced quickly, becoming one of the most renowned cuppers in the region. This career allowed him to develop a comprehensive vision of coffee production, combining his cultivation experience with expert management of every stage in the value chain. He established himself as a prominent figure in the coffee world.
Today, his farm is a garden of special varieties such as Geisha, Sudan Rume, Bourbon Rosado, and Bourbon Naranja, in addition to traditional ones. With the support of Banexport, James has refined his practices, implementing processes that ensure the quality and sustainability of his coffee. With an eye on the future, he continues to embrace new challenges to produce microlots that tell unique stories in every cup.
This is a Sudan Rume variety, which is a wild landrace variety originating from the region, located in present-day Boma National Park in South Sudan, near the Ethiopian border. It was first discovered in 1942 and is
known for its distinctive morphological traits, such as its considerable height, large leaves, and elongated beans. Despite its relatively low yield, this variety exhibits a unique flavor profile that combines fruity, spicy, and floral notes with a balanced acidity. While it stands out for its exceptional quality and singular sensory experience, it has primarily been used in breeding programs to create hybrid trees that produce higher yields while retaining some of its prized flavor characteristics.
