Colombia Narino "Model Student" Coffee Beans / Washed Process / Medium-Dark Roast / Half Pound

Country: Colombia Region: Narino Altitude: 1600-2200 meters Processing: Washed Grade: Supremo Varietals: Caturra, Typica, Bourbon **Flavor Profile: Cocoa, creamy, citrus, rich mouthfeel, full-bodied** ------------------ **"模範生" (Model Student)** originates from Narino, Colombia's southernmost province. These beans are meticulously selected from specific small estates or farms within the Narino region, with only the highest quality **Supremo grade** green beans being hand-picked. Due to these stringent selection processes, the annual production of "模範生" coffee is limited to approximately 6,000 bags, accounting for only about 4% of the Narino region's output (the entire Narino province produces around 150,000 bags annually). These beans represent the very essence of the Narino region. The processing is strictly supervised under La Minita's **"Costa Rican Europrep standards,"** ensuring exceptional and consistent quality. -------- La Minita is an international coffee exporting company, named after its flagship estate, Hacienda La Minita, in Tarrazu, Costa Rica. Beyond its Costa Rican estate, La Minita offers green beans from various coffee-producing regions worldwide. La Minita employs vertical integration across its farms and processing plants to ensure consistent and stable quality and flavor. They focus on working with top-tier global regions and local staff to meet La Minita's high export standards. **Geography** The Hacienda La Minita estate is situated within Costa Rica's renowned Tarrazu region. The estate's excellent geographical environment and microclimate contribute to a more balanced and aromatic cup compared to other coffees from the Tarrazu region. Of Hacienda La Minita's total 1,200 acres, 680 acres are currently under cultivation. Of the remaining 520 acres, 200 acres to the south are designated as a protected natural forest reserve where coffee trees are not planted. The plantation areas are oriented east-west, bordered by the Tarrazu River to the south and the Alumbre River to the north. These two rivers converge at the western ridge where the estate is located. The soil is a clay loam, rich in organic matter, with gray-white, yellowish-brown, and light red hues. While some areas of the estate reach an altitude of 1,830 meters, the central regions range between 1,250 and 1,650 meters. Despite variations in altitude and temperature, the large rivers surrounding the estate mitigate extreme cooling effects. Furthermore, the farm faces west, allowing for slow warming in the morning and gradual cooling in the evening. This unique geographical setting creates exceptionally advantageous conditions. **Varietals and Cultivation** Across the approximately 680 cultivated acres, Hacienda La Minita grows four types of coffee trees: Caturra, Caturra red, Caturra yellow, and Hibridoru. After years of experimental statistical analysis and cupping quality tests, Hacienda La Minita has decided to primarily use the Caturra varietal while retaining a small number of older Hibrido trees. Although La Minita plants approximately 2,500 coffee trees per acre, the planting density is adjusted based on regional characteristics and varietal. La Minita estate currently cultivates a total of about 1.7 million trees. La Minita employs a five-year pruning cycle. Every five years, the coffee trees are cut back to about 50 centimeters, leaving lower branches. This practice stimulates new growth. One year after pruning, two main young shoots are selected for the next four years of production. All these processes are carried out manually, with approximately 350,000 trees pruned annually. After three pruning cycles, or 15 years, the coffee trees' resources are nearly depleted. La Minita then replaces them with new trees from its own nursery. The nursery is located in a well-protected area on the estate. New trees are grown in the nursery for one year before being transplanted to the production farms. Under normal circumstances, La Minita transplants about 150,000 coffee trees annually. Additionally, La Minita uses fast-growing "Pror" trees with broad leaves as shade trees for the coffee. The planting density of these shade trees is adjusted based on the sunlight requirements and temperature control needs of different production areas. Soil tests are conducted twice a year on all estate soils, and fertilization plans are developed based on these test results. Hacienda La Minita is cautious when using products that increase yield, fertilizing approximately three times a year, for both economic and environmental reasons. Furthermore, spraying micronutrients such as zinc, boron, and copper on the underside of the leaves provides additional nutrients to the coffee trees and helps prevent diseases. Insecticides are not used on Hacienda La Minita estate. Fortunately, the climate and altitude, resulting from the estate's advantageous geographical location, significantly limit pest populations. Most importantly, through careful cultivation and weeding techniques, La Minita produces strong and healthy coffee trees. Minor pest issues do not significantly impact the trees. As the rainy season nears its end, the coffee cherries mature, with green cherries gradually turning red or yellow. Cherry maturation is slow and uneven, unlike the rapid and uniform flowering. Therefore, harvesting requires meticulous attention. Ripe cherries are picked first, while unripe cherries are left on the trees to be harvested later. For the cherries from a single coffee tree, La Minita may conduct up to five separate pickings based on ripeness. The harvest season concludes after the final picking, around late February. After the harvest season, all coffee cherries, regardless of ripeness, are removed to allow the trees to prepare for the following year's production. --- https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53873103724_9f7efc217e_o_d.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53871850452_a9f92fbaf9_o_d.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53872755731_244938168a_o_d.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53873169780_41d8ceb1ea_o_d.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53872755691_11c6505655_o_d.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53873103659_17e7fd27d2_o_d.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53872755686_722f35ed7e_o_d.jpg