TYPICA Colombia – Nogales

This Typica lot from Los Nogales is a roastery favourite on the cupping table. It is expressive, layered, and tropical, but still clean. That balance is what makes it interesting. It has the intensity you might expect from a more advanced fermentation, but with enough precision and structure to keep everything controlled. Expect tropical fruit, vanilla, and a sweet, smooth profile that almost moves towards a milkshake-like texture. Los Nogales is one of Colombia’s most recognised farms, with a history that goes back several generations. Around 80 years ago, Ricardo Hernández and Concepción Castillo settled in the region with the ambition to build something lasting in coffee. Their son, Ricaurte Hernández, continued that work and became a key figure in shaping the family’s reputation. In 2005, Los Nogales won first place in Colombia’s first Cup of Excellence, a major moment for the farm and for Colombian specialty coffee. Ricaurte was known for his drive, generosity, and forward-thinking approach to coffee farming. After his death in 2013, the family considered selling the farm, but his youngest son, Oscar Fernando Hernández, decided to continue the work. Oscar brought a different background to Los Nogales. As a former naval officer with experience in environmental management, he pushed the farm further into research, sustainability, and technical innovation. Today, Los Nogales works with a strong focus on seed selection, organic fertilisation, precise harvesting, controlled processing, and responsible environmental practices. The process for this lot starts with flotation, washing, and manual selection, supported by a drinking water treatment system that controls the microbiological and physical-chemical quality of the water used during fermentation. After disinfection, the coffee undergoes a controlled lactic fermentation with the RN21 lactobacillus strain for around 190 hours. Fermentation takes place in 200L bins, allowing better temperature regulation and a more homogeneous process. After fermentation, the coffee is washed using an eco-washer, reducing water use while removing the remaining mucilage. The residues from this stage are reused as fertiliser on the farm. The coffee is then dried in a guardiola for 64 hours at a temperature below 35°C, with regular stirring to keep the drying even and controlled. Technically, this is a washed coffee, but it does not taste like a conventional washed coffee. It is clean, but not simple. Controlled, but not flat. Tropical, sweet, and expressive, with a clear Los Nogales signature.