The region has a 300 year history with the coffee plant, after being brought by the Jesuits. In terms of varietals we mostly see Caturra and Castillo, but also Tabi, Bourbon, and Typica (and that's not including the incredible range of Cafe Granja la Esperanza - where Gesha's take top spot). Flavour profiles are varied and complex, matching up to the incredibly diverse landscape Colombia has - micro-climates and high growing ranges combine with ideal soil conditions for some perfect cups.
Colombia's farmers are mostly smallholders, and unfortunately we are already seeing the effects of climate change with these microclimates suffering from dramatic effects. Smallholders operate on artisanal levels to achieve the best of their crop in their environment and adaptation to the consequences of climate change is a large undertaking.
Click here to buy our most recent offering from this region
2024
Taking over from La Claudina #2 is its close relation, El Encanto #5. Juan Saldarriaga’s 2 farms, La Claudina and El Encanto, are leading the way with specialty coffee in Antioquia - a place where it’s primarily been commercial grade up until very recently. La Claudina has its own drying and processing facilities, which are integral to raising the quality of the cherries.
This Caturra and Castillo lot was grown at 1400 - 1800 masl, dried and naturally processed at the La Claudina facilities. A creamy espresso with a long aftertaste and plenty of sweetness, with notes of hazelnut, dark chocolate, and cherry.
Juan Saldarriaga manages two farms, La Claudina and El Encanto. This Castillo, Caturra offering comes from La Claudina, which sits at 1400 - 1800 masl. Naturally processed, this lot has retained some of the milk chocolateness Antioquia is known for, as well as a creamy round body; but undercutting all that is a grapefruit acidity which elevates this coffee from the world of the nutty choccy bevvies and into the world of the delightful. The complex. The exquisite.
Saldarriaga has helped other local farmers to experiment with drying and natural processing, raising the bar not only for quality but also returns on their cherry.
2023
It’s easy to envision farmers and think of an older generation with years of experience and many of the coffees we buy do come from these people, and it’s often a mark of quality when years of knowledge have gone into farming and cultivating the beans. But that’s not to say that the younger generation don’t also have their hand in a pretty high cup scoring pie…
La Muralla is an informal group of young producers, most of which are in the mid to late 20s and based in one of Huila’s southernmost municipalities, San Agustin. Youth has an advantage, where there’s youth there’s an excitement and passion for producing high-end specialty coffee. This washed coffee we have from the producers is made up of Caturra, Castillo, and Pink Bourbon, all from farms that range from 1700 - 1900 masl.
We’re all pretty impressed with this coffee, which has notes of chardonnay grape and sea salted caramel. A real beautiful every-day cup.