Introduction to Colombian Narino Characteristics_Which Brand of Colombian Narino Coffee Beans is Best

Anyone who loves Colombian coffee is surely familiar with Nariño. Roasteries such as Bonanza, The Barn, Bailies, and Per Nordby have all featured coffees from this region. Nariño lies in southwestern Colombia, bordering Ecuador, with extremely high altitudes and steep mountain slopes that make cultivation and harvesting very demanding and transport outward just as difficult. Despite these harsh conditions, the area has become one of Colombia's exceptional coffee-producing regions, yielding coffees with very distinctive flavors. FrontStreet Coffee has always been fond of Colombian Nariño, and we hope you enjoy this new batch from Fabian Zarama.

Colombian Nariño: Fabian Zarama

Fabian Zarama is a coffee farmer from the Nariño region of Colombia, and his farm sits near La Florida.

In recent years, Nariño has drawn strong attention from the specialty coffee community. With towering altitudes reaching up to 2,000 meters and a special microclimate, temperatures stay between 16 and 25°C. The local Mount Galeras is one of the world's most active volcanoes, and its fertile volcanic soil allows Nariño to produce outstanding coffee. Quality is generally excellent, and the flavors are quite distinctive.

Zarama has established a standardized cultivation process, with consistent fertilization and plant care, harvesting high-quality coffee year after year. This particular batch is a single variety, Caturra, grown at 1,900 meters and processed using clean spring water for the washed method. The cherries are depulped and fermented for 18 hours, then dried for 15 days.

In blind tastings, Zarama's coffee stood out in particular, with a full mouthfeel, rich, complex fruit flavors, and notes of cola. Truly special.

Colombian Nariño: Fabian Zarama, Caturra

Flavor Notes: Butterscotch, cola, cherry, refreshing acidity, rich body

Recommended Roast Level: Light roast

Format: Whole beans, unground

Brewing Recommendations: Pour-over / Espresso

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If Nariño's balance of sweetness and bright acidity appeals to you, FrontStreet Coffee's Colombian Huila is a natural next step. Huila, in the southern part of Colombia's Central Cordillera, is the country's most famous specialty region, with high-altitude hillside plantings above 1,500 meters and abundant water from the rivers that converge there. Given a medium-dark roast, it emphasizes dark chocolate, nutty sweetness, moderate oils, and a full body, and works equally well as pour-over, French press, moka pot, or espresso for an Americano or latte.

For something more fruit-forward, try FrontStreet Coffee's Colombia Frontera Estate Sidra, which uses an anaerobic natural process. After fermenting without oxygen, the coffee develops richer tropical fruit aromas, and with a light-medium roast it delivers complex passion fruit, grape, apricot, and dried fruit notes whether brewed as pour-over, cold brew, drip bag, or moka pot.

If you want a Colombian-forward espresso, the FrontStreet Specialty Blend pairs the creamy nuttiness of Brazil with the deep dark-chocolate bittersweetness of Colombia, pulling a fine golden crema that is especially smooth with milk, and easy for beginners to work with.