Nestled in the village of La Estrella, near Acevedo, is Alberto Calderon’s farm La Esmeralda. Alberto, a second-generation coffee farmer, took on the 10-hectare farm nearly 30 years ago, and it is now home to 40,000 Caturron and Castillo coffee trees.
Nordic Approach, our import partners, discovered this coffee through Cuatro Vientos, a family-owned import company based in Huila. Their aim is to showcase microlots and community blends from across the region, where they work with over 70 family farms and cooperatives. The majority of the coffees they work with are washed - this anaerobic natural is a very special coffee. After picking and floating to sort for density, the cherries were fermented in sealed bags or tanks, before being traditionally dried on ‘marquesinas’, or patios.
Seasonal buying is about seeing coffee as a crop not a commodity, buying in harmony with the growing seasons to enjoy coffee at its best. This kind of buying has always been the backbone of our business and it’s something we’ve improved and refined every year.