Colombia Huila Agustino Forest AAA

High in Colombia’s southern Andes, the Agustino Forest spreads like a green amphitheater around the archaeological town of San Agustín. Nearly 800 member-farmers of the cooperative COOAGUSTINOS cultivate Caturra and Colombia cultivars on pocket-sized plots perched 1,400–1,900 meters above sea level. Warm tropical days, cool mountain nights, and nutrient-rich volcanic soils slow the cherry’s ripening, concentrating its sugars and aromatics.

Picked entirely by hand, the red fruit is pulped the same day, fermented under water for 18–24 hours, washed clean, then laid on raised parabolic beds to dry in the Huila sun. This fully washed approach preserves bright acids and delivers a spotless cup. In our roaster the beans bloom with sparkling Meyer-lemon zest, followed by caramel and milk-chocolate richness and a soft cola-like spice that lingers.

The “AAA” designation matters: in Colombia it marks a micro-lot of exceptionally large, dense beans—screen size 18 and above—with minimal defects and a cup score typically above 87. Bigger beans roast more evenly, allowing sweetness and nuance to shine.

Coffee is woven into Colombia’s cultural and economic fabric, employing more than half a million families and placing the country third in global production. In Huila alone, coffee drives over 70 percent of rural income. COOAGUSTINOS channels premiums back into farmer training, eco-friendly wet mills, and reforestation; shade trees here protect both biodiversity and the delicate streams that feed the Magdalena River.

Brew this coffee as a pour-over for razor-sharp clarity or pull it as espresso for a silky shot layered with citrus and cocoa. However you chart the course, each sip carries the forest, the farmers, and Colombia’s enduring coffee legacy straight to your cup.