Colombia Nariño Veredas Vecinos

This blend of coffee from Nariño is made up from the producers of neighboring towns, or "Veredas" as they're called in Colombia. Hence the name, "Veredas Vecinos", or "neighboring towns".  The Department of Nariño lies in southwestern Colombia, hugging both the Pacific Ocean and Ecuadorian border. Unlike most other growing areas in Colombia who have two harvests each year, Nariño generally has one single "main" harvest. The middle harvest, or "mitaca", is very very small, and does not generally produce exportable volumes. The veredas available is  mostly in the northern part of the region and include La Union, Beusaco, Taminango, and more. Nariño is in close proximity to the equator and it's normal to see coffee grown at very high altitudes (2000 - 2100 meters above sea level). This is a wet-processed coffee, most farmers using old style hand-cranked pulpers, fermenting and washing in the same tank (the first pic is of a dual-use tank), and then drying out on raised, covered beds. 

Vereda Vecinos offers fruited intensity amidst a backdrop of raw sugar and nut, subtle top notes sensed all along the way. The dry fragrance entry point to this coffee has an apple-like smell that verges on just beyond peak ripeness. That slight wineyness gives this coffee and edge in comparison to more basic core coffee flavors, and intense sweetness provides a necessary backing, even in light roasting. The cup moves from caramel-coated almond flavor that brings candied sweetness to the coffee, to a tart green apple note and surprising malic impressions.  We're happy with how this custom blend landed, and its fruit forward profile really stands out among many of the other regional blends.