Colombia
Tolima
Smallholder Producers
Smallholder Farms
Colombia, Castillo
Washed
2025
Caramel, Creamy, Dark chcoolate, lingering aftertaste, Orange Zest, Red apples, Red Fruit, Rooibos hints
2040 meters
Organic Certified
70 kg W/GrainPro
EU - Hamburg, Germany - Schwarze
This coffee comes to us through our partnership with InConexus de Café, a Colombian company that works closely with producer organizations to connect smallholder coffee farmers with specialty markets. Through technical support, traceability systems, quality programs, and market access initiatives, InConexus helps farming communities strengthen their production practices while ensuring transparency throughout the supply chain.
Pétalo Solar is produced by ASOCAFÉ de Alta Calidad La Orquídea, an association founded in 2014 and is composed of 81 farming families in Planadas, Tolima. Located approximately 1,890 meters above sea level, this region is characterized by volcanic and mineral-rich soils, diverse ecosystems, and a mountainous landscape that supports coffee cultivation throughout the year.
Through shared knowledge, technical programs, and standardized processing practices, ASOCAFÉ La Orquídea promotes responsible and sustainable agriculture while maintaining a strong focus on coffee quality. The association’s collaborative approach allows coffees such as Pétalo Solar to express the clarity, balance, and regional character that define this origin.
InConexus plays an integral role in this supply chain by providing specialized technical guidance, implementing traceability systems from farm to export, facilitating quality-focused training programs, and serving as a commercial bridge between producers and international markets. This partnership helps create stable market opportunities while preserving the identity and integrity of coffees produced in southern Tolima.
This lot was processed using the traditional washed method. Ripe cherries were selectively harvested and processed following standardized quality protocols established by the association. After processing, the coffee was dried under canopy conditions for approximately 7 to 9 days until reaching suitable moisture levels.
Throughout production, farmers focused on maintaining consistency and quality through careful cherry selection and post-harvest management. The result is a clean and balanced coffee that reflects both the terroir of Planadas, Tolima, and the collective efforts of the producers behind ASOCAFÉ La Orquídea.
The Colombian department of Tolima is nestled in the heart of the Andes, in the center-west of the country. It ranks first nationally in the production of rice and sesame, and its agricultural landscape also includes coffee, corn, bananas, sugarcane, and beans. Livestock—particularly cattle and pigs—is common in the valleys of the northwest and center-east along the Magdalena River and its tributaries. Of Tolima’s 47 municipalities, 32 are dedicated to coffee production.
Tolima’s capital city, Ibagué—known as the “Musical Capital of Colombia and America”—sits at the base of the Cordillera Central, surrounded by mountains and enriched by abundant water resources that flow into the Magdalena River Valley to the east. The department is well connected through highways and railroads that link Ibagué with Bogotá, Armenia (Quindío), and Neiva (Huila).
Tolima’s geographical position, diverse topography, and wide range of altitudes make it one of Colombia’s most favorable regions for coffee cultivation, enabling multiple harvest cycles throughout the year. Coffee farms are predominantly smallholder-owned and distributed across the slopes of the Cordillera Central and the foothills of the Cordillera Oriental. Over the past decade, producers have made a concerted effort to develop specialty coffees that express the region’s distinct terroir.
Organic and environmentally conscious cultivation is an important part of Tolima’s identity. Certifications such as Organic, Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, UTZ, and Bird Friendly are common throughout the region. Selective manual harvesting, meticulous processing, and careful post-harvest sorting all contribute to Tolima’s growing recognition as a specialty coffee origin.
In recent years, Tolima’s coffee sector has attracted significant financial and educational investment. Public and private organizations have implemented social and economic programs aimed at strengthening sustainable coffee production and improving the livelihoods of thousands of farming families across the department.
