Colombia | Cordillera

High-quality specialty coffee – freshly roasted at NANO KAFFEE Roastery in Berlin Kreuzberg.
A product of the highest quality. Cultivated, sourced and roasted with respect for people, plants and planet.
NANO KAFFEE – conscious coffee from Berlin.

• 100 % Arabica
• espresso roast
• dry-processed (natural)
• anaerobic fermentation
• whole beans
• flavors: red wine, strawberry, cocoa nibs

This espresso coffee also works beautifully as a bold and sweet filter coffee.

Stats

ORIGIN Colombia
REGION Tolima, Planadas
ALTITUDE 1.600 – 2.000 masl
FARM/GROWER ASOCIACIÓN ASCI´SP
FAS 7,15 eur / kg
VARIETY Colombia, Pacamara, Caturra, Bourbon, Geisha
PROCESS natural, anaerobic
FLAVOURS red wine, strawberry, cacao nibs

Quick-Info

This coffee came by sailboat, a relatively new practice and the low-carbon way (four times less) with no impact on aquatic biodiversity. Also, CORDILLERA was cultivated environmentally friendly on volcanic soil and hand-picked by indigenous farmers who combine their strengths and knowledge in an association. Last but not least the anaerobic processing is the cherry on top. Through our roasting we bring out aromas of red wine, strawberry and cocoa nibs. Needless to say, CORDILLERA is something extraordinary all theway from crop to cup.

• volcanic soil (valuable minerals and trace elements, nutrients for a rich flavor)
• shade trees (sun protection and better soil for the coffee plants, additional income for the farmers)
• smallholder cooperative (stronger and more secure together)
• anaerobic fermentation
* Unique: This coffee was transported on a sailing ship.

WIND — Crossing the atlantic on a two-masted ship

It takes about three weeks for the wind to carry the coffee beans from Colombia to Europe by sailing ship.
This relatively new mode of transport has many positive effects. There is no longer any dependence on oil prices or shipping monopolies, biodiversity at the port and in the sea is not disturbed or damaged, and the transport is low-carbon. Taking into account the carbon footprint of shipbuilding, transport by sail over the ship’s entire lifespan causes four times fewer emissions than a conventional cargo ship.

A cup of coffee transported with low CO₂ emissions by being brought to us on a two-masted ship—that sounds crazy at first, but in the end it’s also: traditional, wonderful, and somehow innovative after all.

FARMERS — An indigenous community works together

The ASCI'SP cooperative is part of the NASA WE'SX indigenous community. It was founded on the initiative of a small group of coffee farmers who realized that by joining forces, they could achieve more. Together, they can assert their rights and strengthen their influence in the markets. In this way, they advocate for the well-being of the indigenous community in their Resguardo (a reserve, or self-governing zone of an indigenous community with collective land ownership) and are able to follow their traditions and respect Mother Earth.
ASCI'SP now has 79 members—23 coffee farmers and 56 other farmers—from the seven villages that make up the Resguardo.

NATURE – Perfect conditions, double harvest

The terroirs of Planadas and Gaitania, where this coffee originates, are part of the Nevado del Huila National Park and are located in the southern part of the Tolima region, within the central mountain range of the Colombian Andes.
Tolima lies at the heart of Colombia’s most important coffee-growing region and benefits from optimal geographical and climatic conditions: fertile volcanic soils, ideal altitudes, and a temperate tropical climate.

The coffee is produced at high altitudes using sustainable and traditional methods by indigenous farmers in an environmentally friendly manner. The varieties grown are well-adapted to the climate and environment.
The plots are planted with a variety of crops, which leads to healthier plants. Additionally, corn, beans, and staple foods serve for subsistence and to generate additional sources of income.

Why is Colombia so special for coffee?
The country is very sunny due to its proximity to the equator. It is crossed by three branches of the Andes, leading to a divers microclimates, whilst providing nutrients from volcanic soil. Winds from the Pacific and Atlantic contribute to moderate temperatures. All this creates the perfect climate conditions for coffee cultivation and furthermore leads to two rainy seasons, which in return result in two harvest seasons (!) — this is rare in the coffee world.

IMPACT — Coffee as a symbol of peace

In recent years, coffee in Tolima has become a driving force for change, boosting the local economy while also facilitating a shift away from an economy shaped by armed conflict.

Hundreds of associations and cooperatives have turned coffee into a springboard for improving living conditions. As Carlos Guillermo Ospina emphasizes: “In southern Tolima, coffee has become a symbol cultivated not only by coffee farmers but also by victims, indigenous communities, and former combatants. Thanks to this crop, the community has grown closer together and made an important contribution to peacebuilding.”

Such cooperatives are important because they provide mutual support. When coffee farmers in Colombia fall too deeply into poverty, they can quickly switch from growing coffee to growing coca. This naturally leads to dangerous dependencies, as it involves working with the drug mafia. If things get even worse, people fight for the left-wing guerrillas, the right-wing paramilitaries, or the drug mafia’s gunmen. It doesn’t matter who they fight for, as long as there’s food for the day.

TASTE — A journey to our cups

Colombia has been growing coffee since the early 19th century, and it is known for its full body, lively acidity, and rich aftertaste.

The fertile volcanic soils provide the mineral foundation for the development of complex flavors.
The ideal altitudes and a temperate tropical climate allow the plants to bloom beautifully and develop magnificent coffee cherries.

The plots where the coffee is grown are too steep or overgrown for large machinery: so the cherries are carefully harvested by hand, with only the ripest beans selected.
They are then anaerobically fermented for 24 hours, which enhances complexity and deepens the aromatic profile. Finally the beans are being dried to stabilize their condition.

Our roast produces a full body with red wine aromas, a lively acidity and the sweetness of strawberries, as well as a typical note of cocoa nibs. Distinctive flavors that have made their way from an indigenous community in cloud-shrouded mountains, by sailing ship across the all Atlantic, all the way here into our cups. Impressive.

FORMAL FOOTNOTE

This coffee is normally certified organic. Unfortunately, the cooperative made a mistake with the paperwork, resulting in the revocation of its organic certification for one year.
We had a laboratory analysis conducted, which confirms that the coffee meets organic standards. However, we are not permitted to label it as organic.

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High-quality specialty coffee – freshly roasted at NANO KAFFEE Roastery in Berlin Kreuzberg.
A product of the highest quality, cultivated, sourced and roasted with respect for people, plants and planet.
NANO KAFFEE – conscious coffee from Berlin.