What Coffee Varieties Are Grown in Colombia? Which Coffee Producing Regions Are There?

FrontStreet Coffee - Introducing Colombian Coffee

The varieties grown here include not only the common ones found across the Americas, such as Caturra, Bourbon, Typica, and Pacamara, but also three disease-resistant varieties unique to Colombia: Castillo, Tabi, and the Colombia variety, named after the country itself. There are also rare and precious types such as Geisha, the small-bean Mocca, Rume Sudan, Eugenioides, Laurina (Pointed Bourbon), and Maragesa, a natural hybrid of Maragogipe and Geisha.

Colombia's early plantings consisted of the old Typica and Bourbon varieties, which began to be replaced by Caturra starting in 1970. Caturra not only yields more per tree than Typica and Bourbon but also allows higher planting density per unit area, thanks to its more compact form.

Beginning in 1961, CENICAFE began researching the Robusta-hybrid Timor variety, and later crossed Timor with Caturra to develop Colombia's Catimor lines. After five generations of breeding, CENICAFE released Colombia's first disease-resistant commercial variety, "Colombia," in 1982. Following the outbreak of leaf rust disease in 1983, the Colombia variety was widely promoted and planted.

Coffee Growing Regions

Colombia is most famous for growing regions such as Medellín, Armenia, and Manizales, habitually referred to together as "MAM."

Colombia's specialty-bean regions are mainly in the south, at elevations above 1,500 meters, including San Augustin in Huila, Popayan in Cauca, Nariño, and Tolima. Coffee from these areas has delicate acidity and berry notes, with caramel aroma and full sweetness.

Worth noting: compared with other producing countries, Colombia places greater emphasis on product development and promotion, and combined with its superior geography and climate, this makes Colombian coffee high in quality, full of flavor, and renowned worldwide.

In short: FrontStreet Coffee is a dedicated coffee research space, happy to share coffee knowledge with everyone. Our generous sharing aims to help more friends fall in love with coffee, and we are always glad to help you explore the world's great varieties.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Geisha is one of the rare varieties grown in Colombia, and if it is what draws you in, FrontStreet Coffee's Panama Esmeralda Red Label Geisha is a worthy splurge. Harvested from a single plot above 1,700 meters, each lot must cup at 91 points and carries a refined orange-peel and honey character.

For a value-minded alternative, FrontStreet Coffee's Esmeralda Green Label Geisha blends lots from several plots to express the estate's signature high-altitude Geisha style at a friendlier price. Both show the delicate jasmine florals, citrus, and long sweet finish that made Geisha famous.

Brew as pour-over at a 1:16 ratio and 91°C, with a fine-sugar grind and a three-stage pour, to keep the florals bright and clean.