The Inga community, descendants of the ancient Incas, remained isolated high in the mountains until the mid-19th century. In the 1990s, the region became a site of violence and illegal poppy/heroin production, trapping the Inga tribe under the control of guerrilla groups and drug traffickers until about fifteen years ago.
Over the last decade, the mountains became safe, and illegal crops were replaced with coffee. The Caturra variety is grown on smallholder properties in the Resguardo Inga Aponte at an average of 2150 meters above sea level. This high elevation, combined with nutrient-rich ash from the Galeras Volcano, results in a complex, sweet coffee.
Producers use stacked raised bed solar dryers on their farms for the honey process, which reduces water usage and enhances the coffee's natural complexity.
