CARINA ANDREA CLAROS / Colombia
Karina Claros / Colombia
Guava,Pear,Coconut,Blood orange,Syrup
A variety of fruit flavors including guava, pear, blood orange and currant. A sweet and smooth taste like syrupy.
Origin: Colombia Producer: Carina Andrea Claros Farm: El MiradorRegion: Tarqui > Huila Variety: Caturra, Colombia. Processing method: Fully Washed Altitude: 1750 m asl Harvest time: 2025
This coffee delivers exceptionally bold, concentrated fruit flavors and sweetness. The abundant tropical fruit notes paired with vibrant, juicy citrus acidity that emerges in the mid-palate create a wonderful complexity. As the temperature cools, distinctive currant and berry flavors emerge—truly evocative of Kenyan coffee character. The mouthfeel resembles simple syrup in its lightness while maintaining an ideal viscosity that gently and elegantly unifies the entire cup.
This past April, we traveled to Colombia to participate in the Colombia Washed Coffee Festival (CWCF), a competition exclusively for traditionally washed Colombian coffees, co-hosted by Colombian exporter Fairfield Trading and Japan's SYU・HA・RI.
Alejandro Renjifo, founder and president of Fairfield Trading, possesses a deep understanding of Colombia's unique climatic characteristics and remains committed to the classic washed process. In this region where rainy and dry seasons overlap in complex patterns, processing methods that require extended drying periods—such as natural and honey processes—struggle to maintain consistent quality. CWCF was initiated last year through Alejandro's vision to elevate quality across the entire community, representing a meaningful initiative that spotlights traditionally and meticulously processed washed coffees.
We believe that the true beauty of washed processing lies in its clean, approachable flavor profile that invites daily consumption, combined with bright yet gentle fruitiness that sits comfortably on the palate. Coffee quality cannot be measured by flavor intensity alone.
We are pleased to present a lot blending Caturra and Colombia varieties from Carina Andrea Claros' El Mirador farm. In fact, this very coffee achieved the highest score and claimed victory in the CWCF competition. We meticulously evaluated 46 lots over three days, determining rankings through rigorous and impartial judging.
The coffee that Carina crafted originates from Caturra and Colombia—varieties that, while reliable, are not considered exotic or rare. However, her meticulous and at times innovative approach to cultivation and processing bore fruit, commanding a trade price several times above the standard rate. This moment became an unforgettable and transformative experience for producers, roasters, and everyone involved.
Carina, a coffee grower in the Tarqui region, chose to cultivate Variedad Colombia, a variety released in 1982. While the newer Castillo variety, released in 2005, was also available, Carina, like other Tarqui producers, selected the Colombia "F5" variety due to its exceptional performance in both productivity and flavor profile—qualities highly valued by Tarqui growers.
El Mirador Farm employs the traditional washed process. According to Carina, this processing begins with the harvest of carefully selected, fully ripe cherries, which are then rested in dry tanks for 12 hours before depulping. Following a 36-hour fermentation period, the beans are thoroughly washed and finally dried in parabolic dryers for 15 to 20 days, with timing adjusted according to weather conditions.
Tarqui is recognized as a unique coffee terroir for two key reasons: First, its geographical positioning ensures balanced yields across both the main and mitaca harvests, providing consistent high-quality coffee supply year-round. Second, a distinctive microclimate formed by warm air currents from the Magdalena River Valley converging with cool, humid air from the Cordillera de las Minas allows cherries to mature slowly and deliberately, significantly enhancing the coffee's flavor complexity and overall quality.
Carina exemplifies the harmonious blend of youth and tradition in coffee cultivation. Though young, she has embraced the management of her own farm, El Mirador, injecting fresh energy and perspective into the industry while faithfully preserving traditional cultivation methods for the rust-resistant Variedad Colombia.
