Overview
The Palestina blend comes Grupo Asociativo de Productores de Cafe de Alta Calidad del Sur del Huila - better known as "Cafe de Origen Palestina". They are a group comprised of 20 specialty coffee-producing families. This organization has its own collection center with a quality lab where they individually evaluate the physical and sensory quality of each lot by producer and then separate them according to profile and cup score prior to the final blend.
The Rodriguez Ospina family is in charge of the administration and collection of the coffee in the company, while the younger generation of coffee quality professionals within this group of families provides quality control as cuppers. The association operates under the belief that the way to guarantee a sustainable coffee culture over time is through education and the participation of young people in the business. For this reason they involve them so that they learn the model and understand that specialty coffee is a profitable activity from which they can make a good living.
Flavor Notes
Stone Fruit, Tropical Fruit, Milk Chocolate, Caramel
Processing Info
Washed
The producers use a traditional washed process because this allows the coffee to exhibit the characteristics of the regional terroir. This region is known for a very fine acidity, citrus notes, yellow fruit, a very marked sweetness and accentuated cleanliness. The producers use long fermentation times because the low temperatures of the region allow for a slow and constant process that contributes to the complexity in the cup. Drying is mainly done in the sun, in "casillas" or parabolic dryers, the process takes an average of 15 days.
Regional Info
Palestina, Huila, Colombia
The coffee growers of Palestina have a special dedication to quality which makes it one of the most desired origins in Colombia. This region has distinguished itself by its participation in the Cup of Excellence year after year occupying the first places.
Palestina is a municipality located in the south of Huila on the Andes mountain range, on a mountain formation called El Macizo Colombiano. It is a municipality rich with biodiversity, located near the natural park Cueva de los Guacharos, a sanctuary that houses thousands of species of flora and fauna.
Its geographic location provides ideal climate conditions for the production of specialty coffee. Coffee is grown there from 1,600 to 1,900 meters above sea level, with temperatures that oscillate between 16 and 25 ºC. The region's soils are fertile, derived from volcanic ash, and the varieties that are cultivated are mainly Caturra, Colombia and Tabi. The farms vary in size from 2 to 10 hectares, which each contain between 10 and 50 coffee trees.
Credits:
Photos & Information courtesy of Cafelumbus