José Mario Angel & Alvaro Betancur / Sumatra Washed

A unique Colombian microlot from Las Vegas, produced by José Mario Ángel and Álvaro Betancur, featuring a rare Sumatra variety grown in Antioquia. This coffee offers a sweet and spiced profile with notes of panela, maple syrup, and dulce de leche, balanced by bright hints of grapefruit and sugarcane. Its silky body and smooth structure reflect both its unusual origin and the collaborative effort behind its production.

José Mario Ángel and Don Álvaro Betancur decided to join forces and create together. José, a passionate coffee roaster and cupper by heart but a lawyer by profession, and Don Álvaro, a lifelong traditional coffee producer, were brought together by life fifteen years ago to share one passion: coffee.

Both are from Valparaíso, Antioquia, located in the southwest of the department at an elevation of 1,770 MASL. Don Álvaro Betancur is one of the most community-driven producers in the region — he enjoys organizing bingos, bazaars, and fundraising events, always finding ways to give back. He has devoted his entire life to producing coffee, mainly traditional varieties such as Castillo. At one point, he tried cultivating Geisha, but the complexity of caring for that variety led to the loss of the plot.

José, on the other hand, began his coffee journey alongside his wife. Together they created a brand called Mulero Café and opened their coffee shop in Valparaíso’s main square. Five years ago, Don Álvaro told José that his coffee could fit perfectly into his project, and from that moment their relationship grew more collaborative.

They now cultivate together at Finca Las Vegas a variety they informally call “Sumatra”, the seeds originally from the Indonesian island of the same name, reaching José Mario’s hands through another producer who had obtained the seeds from coffee growers in Indonesia. This exchange took place in 2019, and the seeds were germinated in Colombia. When the seedlings were ready for planting, the owner of the farm where the project was initially planned decided to sell it. By a twist of fate, those 2,500 Sumatra plants ended up in José’s care. He called Don Álvaro, and together they decided to become partners in the adventure of planting a new, unknown, and unconventional variety.

Both took the risk: José contributed financially, experimenting with processing and overseeing quality, while Don Álvaro tended the plants, nourished them, monitored their growth, handled the harvest, and carried out the semi-washed processing, carefully managing the drying stage to its optimal point.

In 2023, they harvested their first cherries, and by 2024 they had produced eight bags of coffee. This joint effort between José and Don Álvaro resulted in a cup profile that showcases notes of dulce de leche, caramel, spices, mint, cinnamon, umami, and tangerine, with a silky body — a reflection of teamwork, passion, and friendship.