A complex, sweet, fruity coffee from the Caldas department of central-western Colombia.
Roast: City (3/7) (Medium)
Tasting Notes: Chocolate, Honey and Lime
Altitude: 1800 MASL
Variety: Variedad Colombia, Castillo Naranjal
Processing Method: Natural
Story:
Colombia has a reputation for producing high quality, mild, well-balanced coffees and is the third largest coffee producer worldwide (after Brazil and Vietnam).[38][39] Coffee arrived in Colombia in the 1700's but it wasn't until 1808 that the first commercial production of 100 green coffee bags (60kg each) was registered.[40] This grew throughout the latter half of the 19th century until a fall of international prices during the transition from the 19th to 20th centuries. This caused the profitability of large estates to plummet and resulted in the additional growth in the number of smaller, family run farms. Which now generate income for over 500,000 coffee farming families.[38]
Caldas is the fifth largest coffee producing region of Colombia, accounting for 7.78% of the country's annual production.[65] Villamaría is the most southerly municipality within the department of Caldas, the region sits around 1800 MASL and is filled with numerous sources of water and natural resources, making it a perfect location for growing coffee.[66]
The raw cherries from 30 coffee producing families in the region are sent to a local collection/sorting facility, La Aurora, also a contributing farm, run by Rubiel Orrego. Here they are sorted and rested for 24 hours. The following day they travel to Villamaría's processing station, "Jamaica", located in the neighbouring department of Chinchiná to the north-east. Jamaica was carefully chosen for its perfect climate and altitude for the drying of naturally processed coffee. Here the cherries are fermented for a further 48 hours, dried in greenhouses for around 15 days and then finished in a mechanical dryer for 3-4 days. As Jamaica sits at a lower altitude of 1300 MASL, it is better suited to the processing of honey and natural coffees due to the hotter temperatures found here.[66]
This coffee is imported by Raw Material, specialising in ethically sourced, sustainable coffee. Their goal is "to connect growers to roasters in a way that improves price sustainability at the farm level, distributing income more equitably along the supply chain".[67]
To improve household incomes, outcomes for women, and to encourage a shift towards more environmentally sustainable farming practices in Colombia, Raw Material have:
- Set up cupping labs, and focused training towards women in the community
- Built and joined community associations, investing in infrastructure and training to improve quality, and take their coffee to market
- Placed QC staff and equipment at parchment buying points to improve consistency
- Consulted wet mill operators and producers in-person on best practices
- Purchased for consistent prices based on what coffee costs to produce and what roasters are willing to pay to maximise profitability for producers[68]
If you would like to read more about Raw Material and their goals and practices you can do so here.
We roast this coffee to a medium-light level to express the smooth, chocolately taste that Colombia is often known for, whilst expressing the more unusual notes brought out by the natural process.