Colombia Sierra Nevada TAYRONACA Fairtrade Organic

The Cesar department in Northern Colombia is a Spanish take on the Chimila indigenous word Chet-tzar or Zazare, meaning “calm water.” This is a reference to the Cesar River which extends through most of the department in this valley created by the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta Mountain range in the Northwest and the Serranía del Perijá mountain range along the eastern edge. These slopes provide high elevation ideal for coffee cultivation. What's more, the numerous indigenous groups that populate the area use traditional methods which are naturally organic.

Colombia Sierra Nevada TAYRONACA Fairtrade Organic is handpicked to ensure uniformly ripe cherry is processed. That cherry is machine pulped to 1% mucilage, which then undergoes 20 hours of aerobic fermentation. Coffee drying is done by different methods; 50% is sun dried, 20% is raised beds dried and approximately 30% is dried mechanically. Subsequently drying time also varies depending on the method: 4-7 days when dried in the sun, up to 10 days in raised beds and up to 28 hours when dried in machines.

The TAYRONACA Association is a non-profit organization of 350 specialty cocoa and coffee producers, 187 of which are coffee producers contributing to Colombia Sierra Nevada TAYRONACA Fairtrade Organic. Partnering with SENA (National Apprenticeship Service), the group provides theoretical and practical courses on agricultural practices, phytosanitary control and business management. Additionally, they are invested in creating sustainable economic development, which means maximizing resources, increasing productivity and improving quality. These objectives serve to directly impact the lives of members. Additionally, TAYRONACA delivers vegetable seeds for food safety and remedies logistical and social issues in the community, such as building new infrastructure.

Cupping notes: Caramel, grape, floral; citric acidity, medium plus body.