Colombia Narino Organic + Fair Trade Washed

Colombia Nariño Organic Fair Trade Coffee

This light-roasted washed coffee from La Unión, Nariño, brings together bright citrus, soft stone fruit and comforting confectionery sweetness. The first impression is lively rather than sharp: lemon and orange lift the cup, while milk chocolate, caramel and nougat build a rounded middle. As it cools, apricot and peach become easier to identify and the finish settles into gentle cocoa.

The coffee is produced by members of FUDAM, an association of smallholder farmers committed to organic agriculture, environmental stewardship and long-term community development. It is already roasted and ready to grind or brew in the format selected above.

Flavor Profile

What to Expect in the Cup

Hot, this Nariño coffee leads with a clean lemon-orange sparkle and a structured sweetness reminiscent of powdered sugar and nougat. The brighter notes are balanced by a milk-chocolate base, so the cup remains approachable even for drinkers who do not usually seek highly acidic coffees. The body is comfortable and composed instead of heavy.

Give the cup time to cool. The citrus gradually becomes rounder, apricot and peach move forward, and caramel lingers through the finish. That temperature-driven progression makes the coffee especially rewarding as a pour-over, where clarity and cooling reveal more of the lot’s range.

About FUDAM and La Unión

Fundación Agraria y Ambiental Para el Desarrollo Sostentible, commonly known as FUDAM, began in 2000 with seven producers who shared a goal of protecting their environment while building a more sustainable agricultural future. The association has grown to roughly 300 members farming in and around La Unión.

Nariño’s terrain creates a distinctive working environment. Communities can sit at very high elevations, while farms occupy steep surrounding slopes reached by difficult roads. FUDAM’s growers have continued using organic methods despite the extra work and pressure to rely on conventional inputs. Their shared infrastructure and organization help small farms reach specialty-coffee buyers while retaining their individual role in production.

Washed Processing and Drying

Farmers generally pick ripe coffee during the day and depulp it that afternoon. Lots are commonly dry-fermented for 16 to 24 hours, then washed two or three times. Drying may take place in small covered casa elba structures, parabolic dryers or mechanical dryers. Mechanical drying can require roughly 25 to 40 hours, while slower covered methods may take as long as 15 days.

This careful washed process supports the clean structure of the cup. It lets the citrus, apricot and floral qualities remain distinct while preserving enough sugar-browning character for caramel and chocolate to anchor the profile.

Roast Details and Recommended Rest

This coffee is roasted light, with recorded roast weight loss of approximately 11.1% from green coffee measured at 10.6% moisture. The recorded LeBrew color readings are 79 whole bean and 140 ground; on this scale, a higher number indicates a lighter color. These measurements describe this roast approach and may vary slightly between batches.

For pour-over, allow about 10 days of rest from the roast date before making a final judgment. For espresso, about two weeks is a useful starting point. Fresh coffee releases carbon dioxide, and a short rest can improve extraction stability and make the sweeter notes easier to access.

Brewing Recommendations

Pour-over

Start near a 1:16 coffee-to-water ratio with a medium-fine grind and water appropriate for specialty coffee. Use an even bloom, pour gently, and taste the brew again after several minutes of cooling. If it tastes thin or sharply sour, grind a little finer; if it becomes dry or bitter, grind coarser.

Automatic drip

Use about 60 grams of coffee per liter of water as a practical starting recipe. A medium grind should highlight caramel and chocolate while retaining enough citrus to keep the cup lively.

Espresso

Begin around a 1:2.2 ratio and allow adequate rest before dialing in. A slightly longer ratio can open the apricot and citrus notes, while a shorter shot may emphasize chocolate and caramel. Change grind before changing several other variables.

Immersion

For French press, start near 1:15 with a coarse grind and a four-minute steep. Decant after pressing so the coffee does not continue extracting in the brewer.

Choose Whole Bean or Ground

Whole bean offers the best control and generally preserves aroma longest. Drip grind suits many automatic brewers, coarse grind is intended for immersion methods, and espresso grind is available for customers without an espresso-capable grinder. Because baskets and machines vary, pre-ground espresso cannot be perfectly matched to every setup.

Choose a bag size you can finish while the coffee remains aromatic. The 4-ounce option is useful for tasting, 12 ounces fits regular home use, and larger 2- and 5-pound options suit higher-volume households or offices with appropriate airtight storage.

Equipment Pairings and Related Coffee

For precise whole-bean preparation, the Turin DF54 single-dose grinder makes it easy to adjust between filter and espresso. For higher-volume espresso dialing, compare the Turin DF64 Gen 2 grinder. Espresso drinkers can also explore the Turin Legato espresso machine.

Browse more specialty coffee or compare additional home coffee grinders. These links are contextual suggestions, not required accessories.

Frequently Asked Questions