Fermentation Forward. Wildly Expressive.
This isn’t your typical Colombian. Grown in the highlands of Huila and shaped by cutting-edge fermentation, this coffee delivers a flavor profile that’s anything but expected. Bursting with tropical fruit, banana, lime, and tangerine, it’s bright and juicy with layers of rose, white chocolate, and candy sweetness. Complex, clean, and precision-crafted to stun.
Coffee
Nativo Nogales | Colombia - Mosto, Natural - Caturra
Tasting Notes: Tropical Fruit, Banana, Lime, Candy
Origin: Huila, Colombia
Variety: Caturra
Process: Natural, Mosto
Altitude: 1750-1950m
Roast: Filter | 82 Agtron | Light
People & Land
Around 80 years ago, Ricardo Hernández and Concepción Castillo set out to settle on "Los Nogales," a farm in Pitalito, Huila, with a dream to make a name in coffee history. Their love led to the birth of eight children who devoted their lives to the countryside. One of the siblings stood out, leading the family to be remembered in the coffee world. In 1952, Ricaurte Hernández, the youngest son, was born. He worked as a farmer and discovered the value of generosity, humility, and entrepreneurship through his experiences on the land; his dream was to see his children grow up on his farm with the values he cherished. In Valle del Cauca, Ricaurte met his life partner, Suldery Arango, a woman with coffee in her veins, and together they built a coffee empire. In 2005, their estate won first place in Colombia's "Cup of Excellence" contest, thanks to the family's dedication.
Ricaurte was a visionary, always looking for innovative practices in coffee cultivation and business. His life ended tragically in 2013 due to violence in the Colombian countryside, leaving a legacy of resilience and inspiration for coffee farmers across the country. After Ricarte's death, the family considered selling the farm, but Oscar Fernando, his youngest son, decided to honor his father's legacy and took over the farm.
His dedication to sustainable practices and innovation, coupled with his experience in environmental management, has transformed Los Nogales into a modern coffee production center, producing high-quality coffee while emphasizing research, technological innovation, and environmental conservation.
Process
The process begins with the meticulous selection of ripe cherries, followed by density-based sorting to ensure only the highest quality cherries are chosen. The beans then undergo a thermal shock treatment: they are exposed to 80°C for 20 seconds to help open the pores, and then rapidly cooled with cold water. This step enhances sugar development in the beans.
Next, the coffee is fermented anaerobically for 96 hours in plastic tanks. As Oscar explains, "We apply a pre-fermented liquid dough with lixiviates, collected from a previous batch of the same variety. This liquid is stored under controlled temperatures of 18°C to maintain optimal conditions. This is our secret. By preserving the native microorganisms from our pre-fermentation dough, we create a distinctive flavor profile for our coffee".
After fermentation, the beans are dried in mechanical silos for 2 to 4 days, followed by a final stabilization period of 15 days in GrainPro bags to ensure consistency and optimal preservation. This process, blending traditional techniques with innovative fermentation methods, results in a coffee with a unique and complex flavor profile.
