Nariño

Nariño is characterized by steep slopes, and extremely high altitudes as well as a unique climate. Warm, humid air makes its way up from the valleys during the evening hours, allowing for coffee to be grown at higher altitudes than in the rest of Colombia, without risk of frost. Producers are small, biodiversity is traditional, soils are nutrient rich and well-drained.

Caturra

A natural mutation of Bourbon, originally discovered in Brazil in the early 20th century; Caturra derives its name from the Guarani word for “small,” a reference to its diminutive stature that results from a single-gene mutation causing dwarfism. It was this small size- allowing for more trees to be planted closer together- that led to mass selections of Caturra being made by the Instituto Agronomico (IAC) of Sao Paulo State in Campinas in the 1930’s. Caturra then made its way to Guatemala during the 1940’s and then was widely adopted in the 1970’s by the rest of Central America, where it is now one of the most economically important varieties.

At high altitudes Caturra has strong quality and yield potential but unfortunately, is quite susceptible to disease.

Washed

Maria Delgado's processing begins with the careful harvesting of cherries at their peak ripeness. The cherries are then placed in a flotation tank to separate them by density, with the highest quality cherries being naturally fermented in their whole form before being pulped the following day. Typically, the cherries are harvested and gathered over a five-day period, with washing taking place at the end of the week. The region's environmental conditions, with moderate daytime temperatures, facilitate extended fermentation times that enhance the complexity of flavors in the final cup.

A key step in the process is the daily mixing of the coffee mass, which takes place in open vat tanks exposed to the environment. Once fermentation is complete—timed according to Maria's experience and traditional methods—the beans are washed with clean water to remove any remaining mucilage and then dried in the sun. The moderate ambient temperature allows for a slow drying process, which can take anywhere from 15 to 25 days.