The Most Famous Colombian Coffee - Introduction to Colombia's Nariño Region_Coffee Recommendations

Colombian Coffee: The National Treasure

Colombian coffee comes from Colombia and is one of the few specialty coffees sold worldwide under a country's name. The famous logo of Colombian coffee shows mountains in the background, representing the renowned Andes and suggesting that Colombian Arabica grows in high-altitude mountainous regions. The mule, neither horse nor donkey but the offspring of both, was historically the primary means of transporting green coffee in Colombia, since the rugged mountain paths required mules to carry coffee to processing plants or down the mountains. The gentleman at the front is commonly known as "Juan Valdez," the representative figure of Colombian coffee growers, which distinguishes Colombian coffee from other origins. The logo therefore carries significant meaning and enjoys high recognition in the coffee world.

Today, Colombia is the world's third-largest coffee producer and exporter. Located in the northwest of South America, it borders the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuela to the east, Brazil to the southeast, Ecuador to the south, and Panama to the northwest, all of which are coffee-producing countries.

Colombian coffee is world-renowned for its premium quality, smooth flavor, and high grade, all of which depends on Colombia's suitable climate, which provides coffee with a true "natural pasture." The varieties cultivated are primarily high-quality Arabica. Colombia's coffee trees grow mainly in the Andes, on steep slopes at altitudes around 1,300 meters. The temperature there stays near 18°C year-round, with annual rainfall between 2,000 and 3,000 millimeters. Located at 1 to 11 degrees north latitude and 72 to 78 degrees west longitude, reaching altitudes of 2,000 meters, these conditions are extremely suitable for coffee. Combined with mild temperatures, humid air, and harvest seasons that continue throughout the year, this explains why Colombian coffee is of superior quality and enjoys a world-class reputation.

The Andes Mountain Advantage

Colombia has three Cordillera mountain ranges running north to south, extending toward the Andes. Coffee is planted along the highlands of these ranges. The mountain terraces provide diverse climates, making it harvest season year-round, with different types of coffee maturing at different times. Fortunately, unlike Brazil, Colombia does not have to worry about frost damage. Colombia has approximately 2.7 billion coffee trees, with 66% grown using modern cultivation methods on plantations, while the remainder grows on traditional small farms.

One of the most famous producing regions is Nariño province, whose name literally renders as "Narino." Nariño's flavor is balanced and gentle, clean, with rich notes of apricot, grapefruit, and toffee, which is why coffee connoisseurs love it. Colombia is known for high altitudes, with the lower northern and central regions mainly producing commercial beans while the south-central region primarily produces specialty beans. The south-central region is also the special zone for past Cup of Excellence and SCAA Coffee of the Year winners, and Nariño province is among them.

Colombian beans are classified into over 200 grades, with Supremo the highest and Excelso following. Only Supremo coffee with beans above size 18 (18/64 inch diameter) can be classified as specialty coffee, and Nariño is Supremo quality. This is inseparable from Nariño's choice of high-quality Caturra varieties and its excellent natural conditions.

Nariño's Unique Terroir

Nariño province is closer to the equator, around 1 degree north latitude, with abundant sunshine year-round. Altitudes mostly exceed 1,600 meters, and snow-capped peaks are not uncommon within its territory. The steep mountains and narrow, steep slopes create diverse warm climates. Warm, moist air rising from the valleys protects high-altitude coffee from frost damage, allowing coffee to be cultivated successfully even at 2,300 meters. Volcanic soil provides rich nutrients for coffee growth.

Nariño's annual rainfall follows a peak distribution, with one rainy season running from October of the current year to May of the next. The dry season consists of June, July, and August. Even during dry months, coffee farmers do not worry excessively, because warm currents brought by trade winds from the southern continent meeting cool nights generate enough water vapor to supplement moisture for the trees. That is Nariño's secret to quality.

It is no wonder, then, that Nariño dominated the 2010 Colombian Cup of Excellence, sweeping the top six positions, taking 8 spots in the Top 10 and 17 spots in the Top 21. The rich flavors of apple, apricot, grapefruit, cream, and toffee will surely satisfy those who come with high expectations.

Colombian Coffee Brand Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee's roasted Colombian beans offer excellent guarantees in both brand and quality, and more importantly, exceptional value: a 227-gram box costs only 95 yuan. Calculating at 15 grams per cup, one package makes 15 cups, so each cup costs only about 6 yuan, compared to coffee shops selling cups for tens of yuan.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Colombia and Brazil sit on the same continent and share the low-acid, balanced profile that makes South American coffee so easy to drink, which is exactly what shapes FrontStreet's Brazilian lineup. If you want only a first taste of Brazilian coffee, FrontStreet's Cerrado Red Bourbon is a classic single-origin choice. Cerrado is a well-known Brazilian region, prized for high-quality beans, and this one is the common South American Red Bourbon, roasted to a medium level so creamy peanut, toast, caramel, and hazelnut aromas come forward. The cup is rounded and unacidic with a slight bitter note, and it works not only as pour-over but also in a moka pot, as espresso SOE, in a siphon, or in a French press.

FrontStreet's other Brazilian single origin, Queen Estate, comes from Mogiana near South Minas, where fertile red volcanic soil lets the cherries absorb plenty of nutrients and develop a full aroma. The region is split between farms that keep traditional practices and others that have adopted modern, standardized management, which has improved local coffee quality considerably. Queen Estate's variety is the rare Yellow Bourbon, a natural mutation of Red Bourbon with a cleaner fruit character, and whether brewed as pour-over, in a moka pot, or on a home espresso machine, it shows a sugarcane sweetness that is hard to find elsewhere along with fruit and chocolate notes.

Low acidity, a balanced cup, and a friendly price have made Brazilian coffee the first choice in many espresso recipes. FrontStreet's Classic Blend with its rich crema, the nut-forward Premium Blend, the balanced Black Cocoa Blend, and FrontStreet Coffee's Commercial Blend made for cafes all contain Brazilian beans. The Brazilian component supplies chocolate and cream aromas along with a soft sweet-sour-bitter balance, and that balanced character also makes extraction more stable, which is exactly what you want behind a milk drink or a straight shot.