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What Did You Taste?
From the Importer
ABOUT NARIÑO
Nariño, located in the Andes mountain range, is a mountainous department with diverse landscapes, ranging from the high Andean plateaus to tropical forests and Pacific Ocean beaches. Its volcanic soils, rich in minerals from the eruptions of the Galeras volcano, are essential to the exceptional quality of the coffee grown in the region. Today, coffee from Nariño is not only a local economic pillar but also a key player in the global reputation of Colombian coffee.
ARBOLEDA
The coffee from Arboleda is renowned for its unique flavor profiles, often described as having bright acidity, floral notes, and a balanced body. The area’s coffee is typically grown at elevations ranging from 1,500 to 2,200 metres above sea level, which contributes to the slow maturation of the coffee cherries, enhancing their flavour complexity.
Fidencio Castillo // PRODUCER
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ABOUT FIDENCIO CASTILLO
Fidencio Castillo has a rich legacy in coffee production, beginning with just 1,500 Caturra and Colombia coffee trees. With the support of his family, his farm has since flourished, now boasting over 20,000 thriving coffee trees in production. Inspired by their father's passion for coffee, three of Fidencio's daughters, including the renowned producer Francy, pursued degrees in agronomy and food processing. Their drive is fueled by a shared ambition to discover and implement innovative techniques for coffee processing.
EL PEDREGAL
Finca El Pedregal was one of the first farms to produce coffee in Arboleda. Initially, many residents were hesitant to grow coffee due to the low temperatures in the area, which range from 10 to 12 degrees Celsius. Despite this challenge, the farm benefits from valuable resources, including the nearby Juanambú stream, making it an ideal location for cultivating high-quality coffee. The diverse ecosystem of trees at El Pedregal also taps into this stream, working together to preserve the soil and shield the plantation from strong winds.
Finca El Pedregal // FARM
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CATURRA & COLOMBIA VARIETY
Caturra is a natural mutation of the Bourbon variety, known for its compact size, which makes it easier to harvest—an advantage in the steep, mountainous terrain of Nariño. The Colombia variety, developed by Colombia’s National Coffee Research Center (CENICAFE), is a hybrid of Caturra and Typica, designed to improve resistance to diseases like coffee leaf rust while boosting productivity. Both varieties thrive in Nariño’s nutrient-rich volcanic soils and benefit from the diverse microclimates at various altitudes, contributing to a wide range of distinct flavour profiles.
FIDENCIO´S PROCESSING
For this Caturra and Colombia lot, only fully ripe cherries, with a rich wine-red color and an average Brix level of 23°B, are carefully harvested. The cherries then undergo a flotation process to elimnate impurities before undergoing oxidation, which takes place in bags for two days. After this phase, the cherries are partially depulped and elft to rest in bags for 100 hours, allowing them to develop further before transitioning to the drying stage.
The drying process begins at El Pedregal farm, where the beans are first spread out on a concret patio for about 3 days. They are then transferred to raised beds near Fidencio´s house, where they continue drying for 18 to 20 days. The final stage of drying takes place on a second concret patio near his home, where the beans are sun-dried for 4 to 6 hours a day until they reach the optimal moisture level of 10 to 11%. Once dried, the parchment is moved to storage in Latinatech bags and burlap sacks, where it is carefully stored on pallets.
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