2011 COE Champion Estate | What is the Flavor Profile of Spring Estate's Washed Caturra from Colombia's Huila Region?

2011 COE Champion Farm | The Flavor of Finca La Primavera's Washed Caturra from Colombia's Huila Region

Colombia is today the world's third-largest coffee producer, behind only Brazil and Vietnam. Commercial coffee cultivation began there in the 1830s, and by the 20th century coffee had become the country's largest agricultural export. Colombia's mountainous terrain, combined with a patchwork of tropical microclimates, provides ideal growing conditions, and some 75% of production is shipped abroad — making coffee the nation's most important source of foreign exchange.

Traditionally, ripe cherries were processed fully washed. Over the past 15 years, Colombia's coffee research center has developed an eco-friendly system that uses minimal water, cutting water pollution by 90% and water consumption by 95%. This method not only protects the local ecosystem but also improves quality. On small farms, parchment coffee is often spread on flat rooftops to dry in the sun. Thanks to a favorable climate with wide temperature swings, Colombia can harvest year-round depending on the region; the main harvest runs from October to February, with November and December the peak months.

Major varieties include Caturra, Colombia, Typica, Bourbon, Maragogype, and Tabi. More than 500,000 farmers run farms and cooperatives of every size across 590 municipalities and 14 main coffee regions, and 2 million Colombians make their living from coffee, which contributes 12.5% of national GDP.

Finca La Primavera is the finest farm of the Los Naranjos association, taking the 2011 C.O.E competition with an unprecedented price of $45 per pound. For the owner of a traceable micro-farm, that is an extraordinary honor. Today farm owner Arnulfo is training his son in the Naranjos cupping laboratory, continuously experimenting with better varieties and processing methods in pursuit of a glorious cup. As Arnulfo puts it, "I must do something to give back to my wife and children for their support."

Farm Information

Farm Name: Finca La Primavera (Spring Farm)

Farmer: Arnulfo

Region: Hamlet of Nueva Zelanda, San Agustin, Huila

Country: Colombia

Farm Size: 2.8 hectares

Altitude: 1,840 meters

Variety: Caturra

Processing System: Fully washed, sun-dried

Flowering Period: September - October

Harvest Period: March - July

Appearance: 16-17 screen

Grade: Farm-Specific Micro Lot

Aroma/Flavor: Almond, longan flower tea, dried longan, chocolate, caramel, peach, flower nectar, milk candy, raisins, aged tangerine peel, fig

Acidity: Grapefruit, lime, plum, a touch of tannin

Complexity and Other Notes: Jasmine fragrance, clean fruitiness, a distinctive floral character, brownie-like sweetness

FrontStreet Coffee's Recommended Brewing:

Dripper: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 90°C

Grind Size: Fuji Royal grinder at setting 3.5

Brewing Method: Coffee-to-water ratio 1:15 with 15g of coffee. First pour 25g of water and bloom for 25 seconds. Second pour up to 120g, then pause. Wait until the water level drops to half, then pour slowly up to 225g total. Extraction time around 2:00.

Analysis: The three-stage pour cleanly separates the coffee's front, middle, and back-end flavors. Because the V60's many ribs drain quickly, pausing between pours helps extend the extraction time.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If champion-farm washed Caturra has whetted your appetite, FrontStreet Coffee's Brazil Cerrado Red Bourbon offers the same pulped-natural (semi-sun-dried) tradition from the world's largest producer. A very classic Brazilian single origin from the celebrated Cerrado region, roasted medium it delivers rich aromas of creamed peanuts, toast, caramel, and hazelnut in a round, smooth cup with no acidity — just a light bitter finish. It extracts beautifully as pour-over, moka pot, espresso SOE, siphon, or French press.

Want to taste what higher-altitude Brazil can do? FrontStreet Coffee's Queen Estate Yellow Bourbon from Mogiana — a rare Yellow Bourbon mutation of Red Bourbon grown in fertile red volcanic soil — offers a cleaner fruit character with sugarcane sweetness alongside chocolate and fruit notes, whether you brew it by hand, in a moka pot, or on a home espresso machine.