Alto Del Obispo is an association of 25 coffee farmers near the town of San Agustin in Southern Huila, Colombia. Together they have about 80 hectares in coffee production or an average of roughly 3 hectares per farm.
Associations like this are very common in Colombia where farmers group together in order to better negotiate for supplies and warehousing and to communicate with and vote for leadership within the FNC.
The importer of this wonderful coffee developed a relationship with this group of farmers, asking for cup scores above 86 points and moisture below 11% in order to guarantee quality and stability of cup. For this the farmers are paid a substantial premium at the time of delivery to the warehouse.
This particular washed process coffee is comprised of 70% Caturra, 20% Colombia, and 10% Typica and was grown at an elevation of 1600 masl.
Welcome to my Table, here in the corner of this cafe. Today we’re sipping a cup of Colombia Huila Alto Del Obispo, from BeanFruit Coffee Company in Flowood, Mississippi. Feel free to pull up a chair.
the basics:
region: San Agustin, Huila, Colombia
farm: Alto Del Obispo
producer: smallholder farmers
elevation: 1600 meters above sea level
cultivars: Caturra, Typica, Colombia
process: fully washed, patio dried
certifications: standard
the coffee:
The aroma of the Alto Del Obispo is sweet and fragrant. Notes of apple, spices, honey, and rose hips fill the air gracefully, gently occupying my nostrils.
Up front there are plenty of really inviting, soothing flavors of caramel, honey, and baking spices, but there is also an offsetting cedar spiciness to it that bites the tip of the tongue. As it cools, this woodiness subsides a bit, giving way to applesauce and brown sugar flavors.
Getting closer to room temperature, the cup really comes to life becoming brighter and livelier. Juicy pomme, stone, and citrus fruits dance all over the palate. I’m getting sweet and tart notes alike; flavors of green apple, raisin, pink lady apple, guava, star fruit, pomegranate, grapefruit, dry white wine, and, to a certain extent, sugary pink lemonade.
Medium body; juicy mouthfeel; citrus acidity; clean finish.
the bottom line:
The Colombia Alto Del Obispo, from BeanFruit Coffee Company, is a really solid cup of coffee. Really solid.
While it starts off as something of a straightforward, classic Colombian breakfast coffee, it ends up being an exciting and unique coffee with sweet/tart flavors, a lively acidity, and a dynamic body. So it ends up being a really nice mid-morning or early afternoon brew; a light and pleasant affair that is refreshing and delicious.
Did you like this? Comments, questions, and suggestions are always welcome here at the Table! Pull up a chair and speak your mind by entering a comment below. Also remember to like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter!
Andrew is a husband, father, dog lover, craft beverage enthusiast, content creator, and niche market Internet celebrity. Formerly of A Table in the Corner of the Cafe and The Pulitzer Project and contributor to Barista Magazine and Mental Floss, he’s been writing on the Internet for years.