Introduction to Colombian Premium Coffee Flavor, Taste, and Aroma Characteristics

Colombian Coffee Varieties

Most coffee estates in Colombia currently adopt a 70% Caturra and 30% Colombia mixed cultivation model, with the delicious Typica variety no longer found.

The overall coffee variety distribution in Colombia is approximately 50% Caturra, 30% Colombia, and 20% Typica.

Geographical Advantages

Colombia boasts rich topography, low latitude, and high altitude, providing excellent conditions for growing specialty coffee.

Colombia's coffee-producing regions are located between 3° and 8° north latitude, belonging to the low-latitude coffee belt, allowing for two harvests annually. From south to north, mature coffee can be harvested almost every month.

Commercial Coffee Regions

Large-scale, corporate coffee plantations are distributed in the central and northern regions, which are the main areas for commercial beans. These include the historically significant central regions of Medellín, Armenia, and Manizales - commonly known as the [MAM] three major producing areas. These beans have pronounced fruit acidity and exhibit typical Central American flavor profiles.

However, Bucaramanga in the northeastern Santander province is known for its low acidity and prominent bitter aroma, similar to FrontStreet Coffee's Indonesian Mandheling flavor. This characteristic is likely related to its altitude of only 960 meters (low altitude consistently means low acidity). Bucaramanga beans are interesting - unlike the familiar Colombian flavor, they are considered soft beans but have excellent body depth. Unlike [MAM] beans that offer only sharp acidity without complexity, Bucaramanga beans provide a more nuanced tasting experience.

Specialty Coffee Regions

FrontStreet Coffee's specialty bean producing regions are primarily in the southern part of Colombia, at altitudes above 1,500 meters. These include San Augustin in Huila province, Popayan in Cauca province, Narino province, and Tolima province. These regions all produce exquisite acidity, berry notes, caramel aromas, and abundant sweetness.

Purchase Guidelines

When selecting Colombian beans, don't assume that the highest grade 17-18 mesh [Supermo] beans will necessarily taste good. It's essential to examine which specific region the beans come from. If the region is not specified, they are most likely commercial [MAM] beans, as southern specialty regions always indicate the province and specific origin name to distinguish their premium quality.

Coffee Varieties Introduction

Representatives from the Federacion Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia (FNC), the industry-referred to acronym, introduced Colombia's two main coffee varieties: Caturra and Colombia.

Caturra was introduced from Brazil in the 1960s and currently accounts for 45-50% of Colombia's production, having replaced the earliest Typica variety.

The new variety named "Colombia" - sharing the country's name - is a hybrid coffee developed in the 1980s with Caturra and Timor lineage, making it part of the notorious Catimor family. However, the FNC insists that although Colombia is a direct descendant of Catimor, its flavor is far more elegant than typical Catimor varieties. This is because Colombian coffee beans have undergone multiple generations of "backcrossing" with Arabica, eliminating the musty taste of Robusta beans. The flavor more closely resembles Arabica while maintaining Robusta's disease resistance and high yield advantages, making it a powerful tool for increasing Colombia's production.

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