Latin America: Colombia

Overall taste profile 

Because Colombia is a massive coffee producer, the range of flavours available to us is vast. Colombian arabicas are known for their aromas that evoke ripe tropical fruit or even jam, coupled with a chocolatey, vanilla-caramel richness. The way coffee is grown in many regions of the country, at various altitudes, surely explains this range of aromas, which makes Colombia one of the leading countries in the coffee market: created in 1927, its federation of coffee-growers, the Federación Nacional de Cafeteros (FNC), now comprises over 500,000 farms.

Growing regions 

Colombia is bisected north to south by the Andean cordillera, and the isolated Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain chain runs through the northern tip of the country. This means the coffee is grown in mountain soils, at widely varying altitudes ranging from 800 to 1900 m. The mountainous terrain creates diverse microclimates, accentuating the characteristics of the individual growing regions. All in all, coffee is grown on 8 million acres, encompassing 564 towns in 16 Colombian states.

Typica, Bourbon and Caturra are Colombia’s best-known varieties.

Discoveries to be made: keep your eyes open! At FARO, we make it our duty (our pleasure, really) to seek out the most distinctive coffees. One of the delights you’ll find among our micro lots is Oporapa, with its suave, sweet tones and zero astringency – perfect for espresso, French press and filter brewing.

Processes 

Naturally washed and dried