SANTA ELENA / COLOMBIA
Santa Elena / Colombia
Flavor Profile:
Nectarine, Berries, Tea like, Cane sugar
Fruity flavors of nectarine and berries, texture like black tea, and the gentle sweetness of cane sugar.
Country of Origin : Colombia
Producer: Maria Damaris Medina
Origin : Huila > El Pital
Farm : Santa Elena
Variety : Pink Bourbon
Processing method : Washed
Harvest time : 2023
This is a well-balanced coffee that features the refreshing and firm flavors of stone fruits and berries, and a light mouthfeel like black tea. With just the right amount of sweetness and fruitiness, it's a cup that you'll want to reach for on a daily basis.
Maria Damaris Medina and her husband Wilson manage a 5-hectare estate on the highest point of Pital. With spectacular views over the town and valley, the estate is a lush green paradise of ancient Caturra and newly planted Pink Bourbon vines. The estate also houses a refinery where they produce micro lots and another where they produce their premium blends.
Maria and Wilson are passionate about producing specialty coffee, using the coffee growing skills they inherited from their parents. In order to improve the quality of their coffee, they decided to switch from Castillo to Pink Bourbon.
When asked, "What would you like to tell people who drink your coffee?", Maria replied, "We strive to produce the best coffee. This is our mission." Her husband Wilson added, "Our goal is to improve quality, rather than to increase yields and sales, and we want to connect with people who can give us advice on how to move forward."
Colombia has more than 500,000 coffee growers, over 80% of whom own less than 3 hectares of land. Coffee is grown throughout the country, spread across 19 departments (regions), many of which are located along the three mountain ranges that run off the Andes in the south. The largest and best known regions are Antioquia, Huila, Tolima, Cauca, Nariño, Caldas, Santander and Sierra Nevada.
The latitudes range from 2° to 12° north. The altitudes of coffee production vary from 1,200 to 2,200 meters above sea level, and most producers harvest, pulp, ferment, and dry their coffee in their own "micro beneficio". The coffee is then sold in parchment form and delivered to a bodega (collection point) in the local town. A bodega is a purchasing point for the parchment, which may be run by a producer association, cooperative, exporter, or simply an independent local middleman. Some buy random coffee all the time, while others have quality control programs or strong relationships with producers.
Maria Damaris Medina and Wilson are also members of "Coocentral", a cooperative located in Central Huila. Coocentral works with small producer projects aimed at improving coffee quality and farmers' livelihoods, investing in technical assistance, ongoing mentoring and training. Coocentral has also invested US$2.8 million in various social programs, including housing, education, health and infrastructure development, since 2005. Farmers receive a 100% premium above the market price.
