Cordillera

Cordillera comes from the Planadas and Gaitanía regions in southern Tolima, from plots located within the Nevado del Huila National Park in the central range of the Colombian Andes. The coffee grows high in the mountains on fertile volcanic soil, in the shade of mature trees and in mixed cropping with corn and beans—all of which makes the plants healthier and provides farmers with an additional source of income. Behind this coffee is the ASCI’SP cooperative, which belongs to the NASA WE’SX indigenous community and today brings together 79 members from seven villages within a single resguarda (an autonomous reservation with collectively owned land). It was founded at the initiative of several farmers who realized that together they could better defend their rights and market position. In the context of southern Tolima, coffee also has a meaning that goes beyond a single cup: in a region scarred by armed conflict, it has become a symbol of peace and a way to break free from an economy built on violence and exploitation. The processing here is the proverbial icing on the cake.

The ripest cherries are harvested by hand—the plots are too steep and overgrown to be cultivated by machines—and then undergo 24 hours of anaerobic fermentation, which deepens the complexity and aromatic structure before the final drying process. Nano then roasts the beans to an espresso profile, highlighting a full body with notes of red wine, lively acidity, and the sweetness of strawberries, complemented by the more characteristic note of cocoa nibs. The journey to Europe is a story in itself: the Cordillera crossed the Atlantic on a two-masted sailboat, a voyage that takes about three weeks and is by far the most environmentally friendly mode of transport —taking the ship’s entire lifespan into account, it produces four times fewer emissions than a conventional cargo ship, is unaffected by oil prices, and causes no disruption to marine biodiversity. It also makes a delicious, fruity-sweet filter coffee.