Colombia, 2
Colombia, 2025
Last week I had the fortune to visit Colombia, this time spending a few days in Nariño and Medellin. Mil gracias to Adriana of Inconexus for hosting Philip and me in Nariño. Despite a stomach bug and near caffeine poisoning, it was a great adventure.
Day 1: Nariño
Nariño is a rustic, high-altitude region in the southwest of Colombia, bordering Ecuador. Unlike Huila, where coffee now seems to ripen year round, Nariño has one harvest season, which approximates North America’s summer. We arrived during peak harvest, with many trees full of ripe cherry, and coffee warehouses packed with coffee sacks. Adriana often worried the coffee we cupped was “too fresh,” but overall our timing was good, as the harvest was running later than usual.
As soon as we landed in Pasto, we hit the cupping tables. Twenty bowls later, and we were craving lunch and rutaecarpine capsules. Adriana showed us numerous impressive samples, and we were off to a great start.
Llano Redondo
That afternoon, we drove to Llano Redondo, producer of one of the best coffees I have tasted so far in 2025. Prodigal and Regalia have each purchased their geisha multiple times, and we hope to be able to offer their coffee every year going forward. Jesús Ángel López and his family at Llano Redondo were welcoming and gracious, and it was endearing to see three generations of coffee farmers living and working together with so much love and affection. The views from the farm were epic, and almost every tree was full of ripe cherries. Philip and I ate couldn’t eat enough of the geisha cherries, they were sublime.
Above: Three generations working together at Llano Redondo
Day 2: More cupping, arepas, and farms
We spent the night at Centro Recreacional Buesaquito, a charming, rustic hotel overlooking Rio Negro. Adriana loves accommodations in dramatic, natural locations, and this one did not disappoint. After cupping another twenty cups and wolfing down a few arepas, we visited Finca San Antonio, and Finca La Mina, two perennial Cup of Excellence winning farms.
Finca San Antonio
Finca San Antonio, run by Nilson Luis López Dias and his family, had a very polished feel, with numerous raised drying beds, and an ozone machine to cull microbes before fermentation. They also served the most delicious local river trout for lunch, an unexpected treat. Another surprise was when they served an elegant, clean coffee after lunch and told us it was a natural. It was one of the rare times I have tasted a natural that didn’t have any classic natural characteristics. Their process of ozonating the coffee before inoculating the fermentation tanks resulted in a naturally processed coffee that could have easily passed for washed.
Above: Nilson Luis López Dias and family at Finca San Antonio
Finca La Mina
After San Antonio, we visited the nearby Finca La Mina. Prodigal’s Finca La Mina honey was one of my favorite coffees in 2024, and one particular cup was so sublime, I will never forget it. Our visit to La Mina was bittersweet, as the family patriarch, Franco Lopez, had passed away six months earlier, and it was clear his family missed him and felt his absence profoundly. Franco’s grandson Jheison now runs La Mina and was kind enough to give us a tour of the farm and wet mill. After experiencing how tight-knit multiple generations are at so many coffee farms, the idea of losing a family member seems like a tragedy impossible to overcome. Adriana had worked with Franco for almost twenty years, and it has been heartbreaking to see how emotionally attached she is to the farmers with whom she works.
Above: Jheison gives us a tour of Finca La Mina
Day 3 Nariño / Bogota
On day three, we of course cupped more coffees, then drove to the airport to fly to Bogota. We spent one night in Bogota so we could visit Inconexus HQ the next morning.
Day 4: Bogota / Medellin
On day four, we did a quick cafe crawl, visiting Casa Cafe Cultor, a gem of a cafe with a cozy fireplace inside and water fountains on the back patio. Inconexus owns the cafe, so we were not surprised to be served the best coffee we tasted in Colombian cafe. Cultor is an oasis of calm and deliciousness in the massive city. After Cultor, we walked to the gorgeously designed Cafe Tropicalia. The coffee was a bit darker than our preference, but the interior design was 10/10. We then took an uber to Inconexus HQ for yet another twenty cupping bowls, and found more gems. From what we tasted, this year’s Nariño and Tolima crops are stunning. After cupping, we flew to Medellin.
Above: Cupping at Inconexus
Day 5: Medellin
In Medellin we visited Nikolai and Manuela of Desarrolladores del Cafe (DDC). It was heartwarming to see their hard work pay off and their operation expand so much since we began working with them. Between their new airy apartment, new milling operation, and the imminent birth of their son Luca, the vibe was upbeat and exciting. We cupped some coffees from Wilder Lasso and Jorge Rojas, inspected the new mill, and talked water chemistry, optical sorting, and milling strategies. Of course, we enjoyed a few vegan meals, went out for coffee, and discovered various breads made from yucca. I love how many forms of bread in Colombia are naturally gluten free.
Above: Grinding and hand sorting at DDC; Cupping at The Coffee Quest
Day 6: Medellin
On our last full day in Medellin, we visited Stephen at The Coffee Quest. Stephen operates one of the most efficient and quality-oriented mills in coffee, and it’s always interesting to learn about his operation and to discuss various strategies for roasting and quality control. Stephen graciously gave Philip a tour of how coffee gets milled, and treated us to lunch and some impressive gelato. On our last night in Colombia, we met up with Nikolai and Manuela for one last meal, at Alambique, an hidden gem of a restaurant full of plants, trees, books, and a vibe reminiscent of Havana.
As always, leaving Colombia was difficult. While life there has its challenges, there is so much raw emotion, zest for life, and passion for coffee in Colombia, making it bittersweet to leave. Thank you to Adriana, Stephen, Nikolai, and Manuela for your friendship, hospitality, and amazing coffees. We will be back.