Smallholder team working at Narino
Narino, Colombia (Organic)
Location: Buesaco, Narino
Owner: Multiple Smallholders
Preparation: Wet Processed - washed
Varietals: Colombia, Castillo, Caturra
Altitude: 1600 - 2200 masl
In The Cup: Raspberyy Bon-– think a lovely balanced coffee with hints of toffee and a creamy mouthfeel. A balancing note of raspberry acidity and fruitiness ends with a hit of icing sugar sweetness as a lingering aftertaste. Takes you back to your childhood!
Coffee In Colombia
Coffee production in Colombia is very much dominated by smallholders who band together to form cooperatives and grower's associations. This means that the vast majority of coffee in Colombia comes in big lots that contain coffee from many growers.This is further complicated by the fact that the coffee is mainly processed on the farm by the producers and therefore depends on the mind set and skill of the individual producer. You may have great coffee mixed with average coffee which is not ideal. The varying climates add further challenges to small holder farmers when it comes to harvesting and processing their crops where they require stable conditions. The geography of the land creates an environment where we see multiple harvest taking place at various times across the different coffee producing regions. This is a challenge faced by our importer who is constantly working to find smallholders with good production practices and methods that produce stable and high cupping coffees. This coffee is an example of one!
Coffee from Narino
This washed lot comes from the Narino department which sits in the South-West of Colombia and borders Ecuador. It has a really varied climate according to altitude - it can be extremely hot and humid in the Pacific plains but high in the mountains, temperatures drop dramatically. Coffee grows here at some of the highest altitudes in Colombia with some areas reaching 2200 metres above sea level.
The region of Buesaco is known for its quality of coffee, producing lots that have placed in the cup of excellence in Colombia. This FUDAM (Fundacion agraria y ambiental pra el desarrollo sostenible) group is made up of 300 small holders which initially started as 7 in the year 2000. The group is inclusive, welcoming all producers who are interested in producing high quality coffee in harmony with the environment whilst benefiting the lives of their families.
The small holders here typically produce a washed coffee that undergoes fermentation for 12-16 hours before being dried on rooftops or in parabolic drier beds for 8-14 days, weather dependent.
(Information and images provided by Falcon Coffees)