Colombia Yellow Sudan Rume Natural Aerobic

One of the World's Rarest Coffees

We're excited to share this exceptional Yellow Sudan Rume from Jairo Arcila's Villarazo farm - one of the scarcest commercially cultivated coffee varieties on earth. With only a handful of producers worldwide growing this ultra-rare variety, and the yellow-fruited variant even rarer still, this coffee represents something truly special in specialty coffee.

The 2015 World Barista Champion won using Sudan Rume, catapulting this variety into the spotlight and establishing it as a benchmark for rare variety excellence. Now you can experience the same quality that wins championships, roasted fresh at our Upper Hutt roastery using infrared technology and aged for 30 days using protocols refined through our own championship experience.

Origin: Armenia, Quindío, Colombia
Producer: Jairo Arcila
Farm: Villarazo
Altitude: 1,400-1,450 masl
Variety: Yellow Sudan Rume
Process: Natural with 45-hour controlled aerobic fermentation
Grade: Consistently scores 90+ points
Roast Level: Light-Medium

Tasting Notes

Jasmine Floral, Peach, Macadamia, Lemongrass, Hibiscus

Expect spectacular complexity: delicate jasmine and rose florals up front, followed by vibrant tropical fruits. Bright citrus acidity creates a sparkling, tartaric quality, while the silky, tea-like body carries everything beautifully. The yellow variant adds distinctive hibiscus, chamomile, and caramel characteristics with enhanced acidity that makes this coffee truly unique.

Why This Coffee?

At Frank's, our values of Innovation and Excellence drive us to source coffees that push boundaries. Yellow Sudan Rume represents both:

Genetic Significance: This variety traces its lineage to the Boma Plateau in South Sudan - part of coffee's evolutionary cradle where arabica grows wild. It's one of the purest forms of Coffea arabica, with genetic material relatively untouched by modern hybridization. The wild Sudanese populations where this originated are likely lost to civil conflict and deforestation, making these cultivated trees a form of conservation.

Championship Pedigree: When the 2015 World Barista Champion chose Sudan Rume, it validated what we knew - this variety delivers exceptional quality. We understand what championship-level coffee requires, having supported New Zealand's 2023 Barista Champion to 4th place at the 2024 World Barista Championship.

Producer Excellence: Jairo Arcila embodies the Passion we value. As a third-generation producer with 40+ years of experience, he spent decades as Mill Manager at Colombia's second-largest exporter before dedicating himself fully to specialty coffee. His willingness to cultivate Sudan Rume - despite yields significantly lower than commercial varieties and high susceptibility to coffee leaf rust - demonstrates the "quality at any cost" philosophy that defines the upper echelon of specialty coffee.

Terroir Perfection: Villarazo's volcanic soils and ideal altitude create the conditions where rare varieties like Sudan Rume can express their full potential. The UNESCO World Heritage Coffee Triangle represents generations of accumulated coffee expertise.

Making Excellence Accessible: While this coffee commands premium pricing due to its extreme rarity, we're committed to our vision of making delicious coffee accessible to the world. This represents an opportunity to taste something that perhaps 99.9% of coffee drinkers globally will never encounter - at a price point significantly more accessible than comparable ultra-rare Geshas.

Brewing Recommendations

For Filter (V60, Kalita Wave):

• Coffee: 20g
• Water: 330g (1:16.5 ratio)
• Temperature: 90-93°C (lower than typical to preserve delicate florals)
• Grind: Coarser than usual for naturals (faster extraction)
• Brew time: 2:15-2:45 minutes
• Extended bloom: 40-45 seconds using 2.5-3x coffee weight

Pour gently with slow circular motions at low height - natural coffees are more delicate and excessive agitation causes over-extraction.

For Espresso:

• This coffee works beautifully as espresso, showcasing the tropical fruit intensity and silky body
• Start with standard ratios and adjust to taste
• The bright acidity cuts through milk while maintaining complexity

Peak Freshness: 10-20 days post-roast for natural process coffees - later than washed coffees as naturals need time for heavier fermentation notes to "clean up" and fully open.

Meet Jairo Arcila

Jairo represents everything we celebrate in specialty coffee: multi-generational expertise meeting forward-thinking innovation. Born into a coffee family, he worked from childhood on family farms before purchasing his first property in 1987. After four decades as Mill Manager at Racafe (Colombia's second-largest exporter), he transitioned to specialty production in 2014.

His achievements speak volumes:

• Became the second Geisha producer in Quindío and among the first ten in Colombia (2014)
• 2024: Santa Monica Gesha placed 3rd at SCA Portugal Brewers Cup
• 2025: Pink Bourbon Coconut Co-ferment won Espresso of the Year at Helsinki Coffee Festival
• Coffees featured by 40+ elite specialty roasters across five continents including Onyx Coffee Lab, Black & White, and Corvus Coffee

The Arcila Family Innovation: Jairo's sons Carlos and Felipe co-founded Cofinet in 2015, creating the specialty export company that distributes Arcila family coffees globally. Together with their father, they operate La Pradera processing facility near Armenia airport - the central hub where all quality control, fermentation, and processing innovations occur.

Villarazo farm serves as Jairo's primary experimental site for advanced fermentation processes. Here he cultivates a portfolio of rare varieties including Red and Pink Bourbon, Tabi, Castillo, Yellow Sudan Rume, and Java - allowing direct comparison of how different genetics interact with identical terroir and processing.

His commitment to sustainability and biodiversity includes planting native tree species, creating shade, improving soil quality, and maintaining natural reserves. He grows diversified crops (mandarin, orange, plantain, banana) alongside coffee, provides employment for 50-100+ seasonal workers during harvest, and creates meaningful economic impact in rural Quindío communities.

The 45-Hour Controlled Aerobic Fermentation

This isn't traditional natural processing - it's sophisticated winemaking principles applied to coffee. While standard natural processing simply sun-dries cherries over weeks, Jairo's controlled approach uses precise temperature management, pH monitoring, and carefully calibrated 45-hour duration to enhance complexity while managing fermentation risks.

The process creates intense berry flavors (blueberry, strawberry, raspberry), stone fruits (peach, plum), wine-like complexity, and enhanced natural sweetness. The 45-hour protocol represents the sweet spot: sufficient time for full flavor development and complexity without crossing into defects. This requires expertise, infrastructure, and attention that only elite specialty producers can provide.

Compared to anaerobic methods that produce extreme tropical fruit intensity, aerobic fermentation creates more traditional fruit-forward profiles with chocolate and nutty undertones - complex but balanced, showcasing both fermentation character and Villarazo's volcanic terroir.

Storage & Freshness

Whole beans only - we don't offer pre-ground for this coffee as freshness is critical. Store in an airtight, opaque container at cool room temperature (20-25°C) in a dark cupboard away from heat sources.

For long-term storage: Freeze at peak flavor (10-20 days post-roast) in completely airtight packaging with all air removed. Let beans reach room temperature in sealed containers before opening to prevent condensation. Coffee often improves after one week in the freezer, becoming cleaner and smoother, and can maintain quality for several months.

Why This Coffee Matters

This isn't just exceptional coffee - it's a connection to coffee's origins and its future. Yellow Sudan Rume from Villarazo represents the convergence of:

• Rare genetics expressing themselves in ideal terroir
• Master craftsmanship using both traditional wisdom and cutting-edge innovation
• Championship validation (90+ scores, 2015 WBC winner)
• Genuine sustainability and regenerative agriculture
• A taste experience that genuinely showcases why rare varieties command premium positioning

For coffee professionals and enthusiasts seeking the pinnacle of Colombian specialty coffee, this Yellow Sudan Rume delivers an unforgettable experience that justifies its premium positioning through rarity, quality, and values alignment.

Roasted fresh to order. Ships within 2-3 business days.

Questions about this coffee? Get in touch at frank@frankscoffee.co.nz - we love talking coffee.