Colombia, Medellin

Colombia is the second-largest producer of coffee in the world and the largest producer of washed Arabica. Annually, Colombia exports approximately 12.5 million bags and as a nation consumes about 2 million bags; about half of its exports come to the United States.

Colombia is rather unique in that, thanks to the size of the country and it's range of terrain and microclimates, it produces coffee all year round.

Supremo refers to the largest bean size for coffees from Colombia — the beans are a screen size of 17 or 18 and are slightly larger than Excelso beans. (Supremo and Excelso beans may be harvested from the same tree and later sorted by size, though that’s not the only difference; Excelso coffees are processed in the European Preparation (EP) style, a quality signifier that allows for a very low number of permissible defects.)

Colombia has 32 departments, which are similar to states, and 22 coffee-growing regions. Among the most popular of these are:

Antioquia (capital: Medellin)
Santander (Bucaramanga)
Tolima (Ibague)
Caldas (Manizales)
Valle del Cauca (Cali)
Nariño (Pasto)
Cauca (Popayan)
Huila (Neiva)

Regions tend to be celebrated for the general taste profiles they produce as a result of terroir, altitude and other factors. Huila, for example, tends to produce juicy, fruity, complex coffees with lots of body. Antioquia is known for a lighter body, lots of citrus and a bright, juicy profile that’s often a preferred morning cup. Tolima is celebrated for the bright, citric acidity of its coffees, and Santander is often associated with chocolate and tobacco notes.

Our Colombia Supremo is sourced from a single region — though that region changes based on when the coffee is shipped. What's consistent every time is the cup profile that each regional blend is designed to meet: balanced and smooth with notes of fruit, chocolate and caramel, a medium body, a bright acidity and a pleasant, clean aftertaste.