El Indio — Colombia / Natural Process

Origin

This coffee has been sourced from producers belonging to the Nasa Wesx tribe. The Nasa Wesx, also known as the Páez people, are one of the largest indigenous communities of Colombia, residing predominantly in the south-western highlands, notably the Cauca Department. These highlands are incredibly fertile ground for coffee production due to the abundance of volcanic soil. Volcanic soil tends to be the youngest and most nutrient-rich soil, as it will only ever be as old as the last volcanic eruption.

The community has a rich agricultural history, notably its coffee production, paired with a complicated political existence, being targeted by rebels and paramilitary groups due to the Colombian Conflict. Specialty coffee production, when sourced ethically, is therefore an important avenue for the community in elevating the economic standard and livelihood of their region.

Project

This coffee comes to us from Nasa Wesx coffee producers in the El Indio region of the Tolima department of Colombia. We have sourced this coffee through Cofinet, a Colombian-Australian company that handles importing and exporting of exclusively Colombian coffees. Cofinet’s buying teams are constantly travelling Colombia, meeting producers and establishing buying relationships.

At the beginning of these relationships, the Quality & Processing team will first offer training to producers in order to obtain batches that meet quality standards. This in turn minimises the risk for both producer and buyer of finishing with a lot that does not meet the standard required to be purchased and sold at specialty prices. Lots that do not meet this standard are still purchased at a premium to be sold on the local market, in order to maintain a healthy income stream for the producers.

Coffee

This is the second time we have bought the El Indio, and for much the same reasons as the first. This coffee is a stellar marriage of the vibrance given to the coffee plant by the nutrient rich volcanic soil, with the aptitude of the Colombian terroir to create spectacularly bright and expressive natural fermentations.

The result is a coffee immediately recognisable for its bright, tropical flavours, full-bodied with a complex acidity and notes of passionfruit, mango and orange.