Fidencio Adarme Colombia

RIPE, STICKY SWEET, COMPLEX.

Location: Aponte, Nariño
Elevation: 2100 meters
Variety: Caturra, Colombia
Process: Honey

Aponte is a unique town in Nariño, relatively isolated and situated on a seismic fault. The town is slowly sinking due to shifting tectonic plates, and many coffee producers have been displaced as infrastructure and homes sink into the ground. Historically, unreliable water access led producers to process coffee using minimal water, which eventually made Aponte famous for honey-processed coffee. The region’s high elevation and cool micro-climate allow cherries to ripen slowly, concentrating their sweetness and enhancing the cup profile.

This lot comes from Fidencio Adarme, whose father was one of the first coffee producers in the indigenous reservation of Aponte, near Buesaco. Most producers in Aponte, including Fidencio, are part of the Inga community—an indigenous group that was once part of the northern Incan Empire. While many residents whose homes were destroyed received government subsidies to relocate, others, like Nixon, continue to farm and live in the newly rebuilt part of the town.

Fidencio works with a few hired pickers to ensure only perfectly ripe cherries are harvested. The process begins with an initial fermentation, where cherries are left in sealed plastic barrels (canecas) for approximately two days. After de-pulping, the cherries undergo an additional day of fermentation. Unlike many other honey-processed coffees, the remaining mucilage is not washed off, and the coffee undergoes a distinct fermentation phase to add complexity to the cup. The coffee is then moved directly to raised beds in a covered dryer. It dries for approximately 20 days under a screened roof that filters light and provides the ventilation necessary for slow, even drying.