Colombia Huila is known for producing some of the best coffees in Colombia. Coming from a variety of small farms throughout the region, this coffee is grown under the canopy of the rain forest. Farmers and their families have access to housing and healthcare and their children have access to schools close by. Additionally, wildlife is protected through enforcing strict no-hunting rules on farms. The result is delicious coffee that helps promote sustainability at the farm level.
Huila is the largest specialty coffee producing region. The Huila Department (State) is not only known for the quantity of coffee it produces, but also for the amazing quality of the coffees. Farmers regularly produce Cup of Excellence-winning lots, the gold standard for coffee beans, and many roasters, baristas, and café owners will tell you that Huila is one of their favourite coffee origins, thanks to its bright acidity, sweetness, and strong fruity profile. It’s the fruity edge and lack of bitterness to Huila coffee that really helps set it apart from other coffees from Colombia.
Huila is a mountainous region that lies in the southwest of the country between the Eastern and Central mountain ranges, in the Colombian Massif, where these meet. It is nestled on the flank of the Andes near the Nevado del Huila volcano, the second highest peak in Colombia. The rich soils and lush climate are ideal for many crops including yucca, sugar cane, bananas, cocoa, and beans, as well as coffee.
Since the region lies relatively close to the equator it means that coffee harvesting happens almost year round, enabling high volumes of production. Rich volcanic soils, lush climate, and ideal altitude all combine to make coffee from the Huila district some of the most exquisite in Colombia. And in 2013, it received Denomination of Origin status for coffee, putting it on a parr with the status awarded to champagne, Roquefort cheese, and many other foods and beverages with unique, location-specific characteristics.
