Colombia Aponte Honey

This coffee was produced by the indigenous people of the Inga community in the native reservation of Aponte in Nariño, Colombia. Less than 5,000 Aponte people live on the reservation where they speak their own dialect, wear traditional clothing, and keep to ancient practices. They are descendants of Pre-Hispanic Incas and were largely separated from the rest of Colombia until late in the nineteenth century. All of the reservation's land is communally owned with family groups living on and developing their own small farm plots. The population is ruled by a “cabildo” or group of elders..

Nariño is the southwestern most department of Colombia, just north of Ecuador and bordered by the Pacific Ocean. From the ocean, elevations climb drastically into the lush mountains where the reservation is located. The high elevations, nutrient-rich ash soil, and proximity to the Equator provide perfect growing conditions for excellent specialty coffee.

The Aponte people have had much to overcome in the recent past. There is an unpredictable fault line running through the reservation and in the past few years farms and homes have been damaged by earthquakes. The area also went through a great deal of drug cartel violence. Through negotiations with the Colombian government, the people now have a special protected status and show their resilience in their determined to rebuild.

The Aponte are a highly skilled farming community and have developed their own coffee cultivation and production techniques. They produce both honey and traditionally washed coffees. The much more delicate and complex honey process has become their specialty.

Their first step is to hand pick only the ripest coffee cherries. This is a time consuming task that takes repeated passes through the farms. After harvest, the selected cherries are de-pulped. Their outer skin is removed while their sticky mucilage is left in tact around the coffee seed (or bean). The coffee is spread out on tiered and raised wooden beds to dry in the sun and wind. It is covered with a protective plastic layer when necessary to promote even drying. The drying process takes between 20-45 days.

The cup is deliciously sweet and refreshing with a soft body and notes of green grape, ripe kiwi, and papaya.