This honey-processed microlot was produced by Rolando Janamejoy at his three hectare farm El Plan, which sits at a staggering elevation of 2,250m above sea level in the town of Aponte, in north-western Nariño, Colombia.

Aponte’s unique micro-climate, with warm winds and year-round cool temperatures, contributes to the success of honey processing in the area. The producers in the region have become expert in this processing method, resulting in clean, sweet and fragrant coffees that are distinct to the town.

Coffee is the main source of income for the Janamejoy family. Rolando leads the venture with the help of his 19-year-old son Wilson, who balances his time on the farm with his university studies. The farm is home to 3,000 coffee trees, mostly of the Caturra variety but including a few older Typica variety plants that are over 40 years old.

For this lot, coffee cherries were carefully hand-picked by Rolando and his son during the peak of the harvest, with several passes needed to ensure only the ripest ones were chosen. The cherries were then left in the shade to ‘pre-ferment’ for two days, before being pulped at El Plan’s wet mill, or ‘micro-beneficio.’ After pulping, coffee was placed on drying beds without being washed, leaving coffee with a layer of mucilage that resembles a glazing of sticky honey (hence the name ‘honey’ processing) for around 30 days.

Thanks to Aponte’s cool, windy climate and high altitudes, coffee generally dries more quickly and evenly than in lower parts of Colombia. This leads to more consistency in the coffees produced, and encourages the development of cleaner, more complex flavours in the cup.