Inzá, Colombian

Method: Washed

Frequent rainfall in Inzá means drying coffee on-farm isn’t always easy. Many smallholders choose to wash and ferment their coffee at home, then quickly transport it to professional drying centres where conditions are more controlled. Once fully dried, the coffee is milled, cupped, and sorted before export.

The washed process highlights that signature Colombian clarity — clean, sweet, and bright — with layers of fruit and a smooth chocolate finish that makes this coffee so effortlessly drinkable.

Nestled in the Cauca Department of southwest Colombia, the town of Inzá sits high in the Central Andean mountain range, right on the edge of the Tierradentro National Park. It’s a stunning, remote area known for its rich history, archaeological heritage, and fertile volcanic soils.

Smallholder farmers here grow coffee at altitudes between 1,700 and 2,000 metres, where cooler temperatures slow down the ripening process and help develop layers of sweetness and acidity. The farms are typically tiny — just a few acres each — but their dedication runs deep, with families passing down knowledge through generations.

Although Inzá belongs to the Cauca region, its harvest cycle often mirrors that of nearby Huila, and changing weather patterns now allow for smaller harvests almost year-round. Once picked, most farmers deliver their parchment to central drying facilities in Popayán, where quality control and grading ensure each lot reaches its full potential.