Knowledge · geography
Nariño, Colombia
Colombia growing region
Key facts
- Location
- Colombia's far southwest near Ecuador
- Altitude
- 1,800 to 2,300 metres
- Primary Varieties
- Caturra, Castillo, Colombia
- Processing Method
- Predominantly washed
- Flavor Profile
- High-toned brightness, intense sweetness, citric-tropical acidity
- Terroir
- Volcanic ash soils with excellent drainage
- Beans we stock
- 418 from Colombia
Nariño, in Colombia's far southwest near the Ecuadorian border, grows coffee at some of the country's highest elevations — frequently from 1,800 up to 2,300 metres — on the flanks of Andean volcanoes around Buesaco and La Unión. Its proximity to the equator allows ripening at altitudes that would be too cold elsewhere, and the resulting coffees are remarkable for their high-toned brightness, intense sweetness, and clean citric-to-tropical acidity. Predominantly washed Caturra, Castillo, and Colombia from tiny family plots, Nariño lots have a cult following among roasters seeking the most vivid, sugary expression of Colombian coffee.
At a glance
- Altitude: 1500–2300 masl
- Typical varieties: Caturra, Castillo, Colombia
- Common processes: Washed
- Harvest: 4, 5, 6, 7
Climate
High-altitude equatorial climate enabling very slow cherry maturation.
Soil & terroir
Volcanic ash soils with excellent drainage.
See also