Colombia - Nariño Aponte Honey
Honey Processed, Reserve Coffee, Small Holder Farms
Vanilla, Raspberry, Cherry, Blackberry, Sweet
This is a very special Reserve Coffee from a group of Smallholder Farmers in the high mountains (over 5,000 ft.) of Nariño.
Colombia's three ranges of Andean mountains converge in Nariño, presenting ideal altitudes and fertile soil for high-grown Arabica production.
Thanks to the fearless spirit of the Nariño farmers, this small region has become a respected nucleus of coffee innovation.
This outstanding coffee is the result of their labor and I am very excited to offer this Nariño Aponte Honey coffee.
General Flavor Observations
Colombia - Nariño Aponte Honey
The majority of Colombia's coffee is washed, but recently there has been more experimentation with alternative processing methods.
This coffee is de-pulped and dried with mucilage still on the coffee seed.
By drying the seed this way, it's sweetness is dramatically increased and fruity flavors are more prominent and complex.
This represents the honey processing style.
This Reserve Colombia coffee is wonderfully sweet, with a round, soft mouth-feel and mellow acidity.
With the first sip, notes of vanilla are present giving way to well centered notes of caramel and milk chocolate.
Then the excitement begins!
The Honey process reveals a sweetness in the form of fruit undertones that range from raspberry, cherry, and blackberry, depending on the roast level.
A remarkable coffee that should not be missed, we present to you: Colombia Narino Aponte Reserva Honey!
Roast Level Profile Notes
Colombia - Nariño Aponte Honey
The sweet, fruity complexity, round body, and soft acidity of this wonderful Colombian coffee will be best realized at a
Full City roast.
However, each roast level will provide unique differences to the profile, so don't hesitate to experiment.
We are always happy to accommodate any roast level you prefer.
The notes below illustrate how changing the roast will alter the profile:
City Roast (light roast)
Looking for a brighter cup with plenty of complexity and a fruit forward profile, then our City roast is a great choice.
As with most City roasts, you will find a milder body and snappier acidity. Notes of sweet honeysuckle, and Graham Cracker are surrounded by raspberry, and cocoa nibs in the cup. A very nice choice.
Full City Roast (medium roast) - Preferred
I found Full City to be the best balance all around, presenting a mellow, smooth cup with notes of milk chocolate and caramel.
Hints of vanilla, raspberry sweetness are present up front. The cup peaks with notes of cherry then tapers into blackberry.
The finish is soft and rolling with a pleasant, lingering fruit finish. This is a complex cup with a lot going on. Magnificent!
Full City (+) Roast
This roast level will focus on the deeper fruit tones and provide a more 'juicy' cup.
The mouth-feel will be more silky and the body more full; the finish will be smooth and taper quickly.
The sweetness remains due to the honey process, with the fruit tones becoming more akin to dark cherry and blackberry.
Vienna Roast
This roast has that solid dark roast quality represented by bittersweet chocolate and toffee, yet the cup remains quite smooth.
The sweet fruit tones remain but are a bit more muted.
This would be a good roast profile to choose if paring with a sweet dessert or following a rich meal.
French Roast
Not recommended.
Additional Information
Colombia - Nariño Aponte Honey
The indigenous Inga people are descendants of the northernmost Inca tribesman.
The Inga speak a dialect of the Kichwa language native to southern Colombia, Ecuador, and parts of Peru.
The land is held communally and governed by a group of elders known as the cabildo.
In recent history the Inga have experienced financial hardship and violence as a result of the prominence of illicit activities in the region.
Coffee farming provides an alternative to lucrative but illegal o farming. After the peace accord with FARC in 2016, the Colombian government began offering subsidies to farmers who would switch from cocoa to coffee.
The Caturra variety has been planted in the Inga territory, on smallholder properties in the Resguardo Inga Aponte, at an average of 7,054 feet above sea level.
This elevation, combined with the Galeras Volcano constantly shedding nutrient-rich ash, makes for an exceptionally complex and sweet coffee.
- Origin: Colombia
- Region: Nariño
- Producer: Aponte Community
- Traceable: Smallholder Farms
- Processing: Honey
- Elevation: >5,000 feet
- Varietal: Caturra, Colombia
