China Alta

China Alta — Sweet Disposition

A little bright, a little sweet. A moment worth savouring.

A washed Colombian single origin with notes of caramel, orange, plum and almond, and a honeyed balance. Roasted for espresso.

Origin: China Alta, Tolima, Colombia

China Alta is a small village high in the Central Andes of Tolima, in the steep hills around Ibagué and close to Los Nevados Natural Park. This lot comes from seven smallholder farmers there, each working around three hectares between 1,600 and 2,000 metres, on volcanic soil in a cool mountain climate.

The village takes its name from the Río La China, which winds through the mountains and waters the farms on its banks. “Alta” is the high ground, where the sweetest coffee grows. Coffee only arrived here 30 to 40 years ago, in a valley better known for cattle, sugarcane and trout, but these high slopes are now earning a name for coffees with real clarity and sweetness.

The farmers grow traditional varieties, mostly Caturra and Colombia. They weed and fertilise by hand, rarely use pesticides, and pick every cherry by hand with their families.