El Obraje [Caturra], Колумбия

El Obraje’s climate and terrain are the main factors contributing to its coffee’s unique cup profile. The farm is located near many volcanic mountains, and the rocky soil is rich in minerals. El Obraje often does not receive adequate rainfall and must irrigate some lots using water from the farm’s retention pond. Temperatures vary widely throughout the day, from 32°C at noon to 8°C or lower at night. The drastic temperature fluctuations impact the density of the coffee beans, and cause the trees to be more compact than the same variety growing in other parts of Colombia. Humidity is high during the rainy season, making it nearly impossible to dry coffee on raised beds. Planting shade trees would have been disadvantageous in the first place given the humidity, as they would have trapped too much moisture and caused disease. But the coffee has adapted to its conditions and the farm now has low-density shade trees planted at the same time as the coffee plants.