Colombia Nariño Aponte

Tiramisu & blackberry

Roast: Medium-light
Process: Honey
Origin: Colombia, Aponte
Varietals: Caturra, Colombia
Altitude: 1525 masl

The indigenous producers in the Nariño Aponte region, the Inga, were part of the northermost Inca empire that colonized the south of Colombia in the late 14th century. The communal land and people of the region is governed by a "cabildo" group of elders that make sure that the ancestral traditions are upheld within the community. Specialty coffee became the main crop and source of income for this region after the area had been affected by earthquakes.

Honey processing is a coffee drying method that falls between washed and natural processes. With honey processing the red fleshy fruit part of the coffee cherry and outer skin is removed (pulped), but only part of the mucilage (sticky, sugary layer that surrounds the coffee bean) is removed. Because the mucilage layer is sticky on the beans, it often resembles the look of honey, ergo this method is called honey processed. After this step, the coffee beans are placed on drying racks and further fermented in their sticky mucilage.