We are thrilled to introduce this exquisite Typica coffee lot, crafted by an exceptionally innovative and esteemed producer. This coffee really caught our attention on the cupping table for being very expressive, but still clean. Expect tropical fruits, vanilla and a sweet and smooth milkshake experience.

About 80 years ago, Ricardo Hernández and Concepción Castillo settled in Pitalito, Nariño, with a dream to make a name in coffee history. They found their paradise and raised eight children, each devoted to agriculture. Among them, Ricaurte Hernández, born in 1952, shone the brightest, steering the family towards a lasting legacy in the coffee world.

Ricaurte, a true son of the soil, cherished values like generosity and humility. His life revolved around coffee farming, aspiring to pass on these values to his children. He met Suldery Arango, his entrepreneurial partner from Valle del Cauca, with whom he raised a family of eight and built a coffee empire.

In the 1990s, Ricaurte and Suldery ventured into cattle farming in Caquetá, but the business failed, prompting their return to coffee cultivation at Los Nogales. The family’s dedication bore fruit in 2005 when their estate won first place in Colombia’s inaugural “Cup of Excellence” contest, a milestone in coffee history.

Ricaurte was not just a farmer; he was a visionary, constantly seeking innovative practices in coffee cultivation and business. Tragically, his life was cut short in 2013 by violence in the Colombian countryside, leaving a legacy of resilience and inspiration for coffee farmers nationwide.

The family considered selling the farm after Ricaurte’s death, but Oscar Fernando, his youngest son and a former naval officer, chose to honor his father’s legacy by taking over the farm. Oscar, who initially saw farm life as a punishment, grew to appreciate it during his military service. His experience in environmental management and his commitment to sustainable practices and innovation have propelled Los Nogales into a modern coffee production center.

Today, Los Nogales not only produces high-quality coffee but also emphasizes research, technological innovation, and environmental stewardship. The family’s approach to coffee cultivation starts with selecting the best seed stock and using organic fertilizers, aiming to produce a coffee bean of unparalleled quality.

The harvesting process at Los Nogales is meticulous, involving over 30 skilled pickers who ensure only the best cherries are selected. The farm’s innovative processing techniques, including a unique fermentation process and eco-friendly practices, reflect Oscar’s vision of blending tradition with modernity, ensuring the Hernández family continues to make a significant impact in the world of coffee.

PROCESS

The first step in the processing involves a flotation tank to separate the coffee cherries. This tank allows lighter elements like leaves, soil, twigs, and any unripe or damaged cherries to float to the surface of the water, making it easy to remove them. This leaves only the highest quality fruit, which then goes through a secondary, manual selection.

Even though it doesn’t tasty like it, It’s technically a washed coffee because it is pulped before processing, but then the fermentation processed is controlled at microbiological level by Angie (Oscars sister) who studied industrial engineering and applies all her scientifically background to coffee.

1.THE POST-HARVEST BENEFIT: MANUAL SELECTION AND DISINFECTION
When the coffee arrives at the mill, the pulping, washing and floating are carried out, for this a drinking water treatment plant is implemented where it guarantees a microbiological and physical-chemical treatment, guaranteeing that the hardness of the water and the PH are optimal for fermentation.

2.FERMENTATION
After the disinfection of the grain, a lactic fermentation is carried out, with a lactobacillus called the RN21 strain for this particular coffee, with approximately 190 hours of fermentation, for greater control it is carried in bins of 200 lts each, which allows the regulation of temperature and greater homogeneity in the fermentation process.

3.WASHING
Then the coffee is taken to the washing process by means of an eco-washer, which allows them to use the least amount of water possible, and remove the honey that is the product of fermentation. The residues are reused to turn them into fertilisers and commit to caring for the environment.

4.DRYING OF GRAINS
Subsequently, the drying in guardiola for 64 hours in a temperature not higher than 35c ,stirred twice a day.

“The Los Nogales farm, under the leadership of some enterprising brothers, gives a new perspective to the world of the countryside, adding innovation, science and technology, worrying about preserving the environment and carrying out responsible techniques on the soil. Also strengthening what the family means in the countryside, strengthening a social fabric in his community and always bearing the name of his father as a tribute to the legacy he left to the world of coffee.”