La Albania
Red grape, lemon and kiwi fruit balanced by milk chocolate. Perfumed and transparent.
This coffee was produced by Rebeca Gómez with the help of husband Jesús Muñoz. Rebeca is a member of the AMACA (Asociación de Mujeres Productoras Agropecuarias del Cauca) women’s association, a group of producers who grow and process coffee in the municipality of El Tambo, in Cauca state, in the south of Colombia. Her farm “La Albania” is just two and a half hectares in size, located in the small town of La Independencia at an elevation between 1,750-1,900m above sea level.
Growing up in a family of coffee growers, Rebeca has been involved with coffee production her entire life. She has owned her farm for over twenty years, and is a founding member of the AMACA cooperative. Generous with their time, Rebeca and husband Jesús are also influential members of La Independencia’s coffee community and openly share advice and strategies for success with their neighbours. After losing much of her crop to leaf rust in 2009, an event that decimated her property, Rebeca switched to growing the more resilient varieties of Castillo and Colombia at La Albania. These hybrid varieties were introduced by Colombia’s Coffee Federation (FNC) in the 1980s as part of the country’s efforts to reduce the incidence of disease and pests without affecting cup quality.
Rebeca works diligently at the farm to make sure her coffee stands out from the crowd. Her meticulous approach to processing ensures she delivers coffees that are clean and transparent, showcasing the region they come from, the variability of each harvest and the passion and hard work involved in their production. Today, her goal is to replant Caturra trees, along with varieties like Bourbon, Gesha and Chiroso, with the goal of maximising the farm’s potential for quality and earning her and her family higher premiums for their crop.
ABOUT AMACA
AMACA was founded some 30 years ago by Luz Marina Sánchez and Luz Mila Potosí, with the intention of banding together the female coffee growers and land owners of El Tambo to find better opportunities for their crop. While the group was first part of a large cooperative in Cauca, they eventually separated, and are currently one of a handful of independent women-only coffee associations in all of Colombia.
AMACA’s early days weren’t easy — many neighbouring producers did not understand why project members were devoting so much time and effort to the selective picking of cherries during harvest, or careful processing before selling their crops at the local market. At the time, the general understanding was that all coffee received the same price, regardless of how meticulous the picking and processing had been. The women of AMACA, however, were among the first in the region to promote and advocate for specialty coffee production, as they understood that proper care and practices would improve the final cup results and build a more quality-focused market, one willing to pay higher premiums for their efforts.
Today, AMACA provides opportunities for leadership amongst women of all ages in the region and stands as a symbol of empowerment, social change and community work, with Luz Marina and Luz Mila still at the helm. The project has brought economic stability to many communities near El Tambo, with several of AMACA’s members acting as the most reliable and primary income earners for their families. Many of the women also hold important roles in town (founder Luz Marina works at the local mayor’s office, for example), while also managing their homes and farms. It’s not uncommon for the women of AMACA to support each other’s production throughout the year, either — from pruning during the off-season, to the picking during the harvest, and eventually, the processing and drying of parchment.
Once a year, the women of AMACA come together for a general meeting, where they make plans for the upcoming harvest, and evaluate options to better commercialise their coffee. One of the most important outcomes from these meetings was the decision to purchase and set up a coffee cart operation to prepare coffee during local events. Since 2024, members of the association roast and serve their coffee through the cart under banner of AMACAFE, giving the group an added source of income and a way to directly promote and market their production. Since working with Pergamino, this ceremony is also when producers receive premium payments for their crop — making it a very festive occasion.
Most AMACA members have planted Castillo and Colombia, two hybrid varietals that have good potential for quality when grown and processed with care. For decades, the region was known for producing Caturra, which was the most popular variety during the 1970s and 1980s when the farms were established. However, after particularly damaging leaf rust outbreaks in the 2010s, many local farmers gave up on Caturra, and to this day, refuse to plant varieties with any propensity to disease and pest. Thanks to Pergamino’s efforts, members of AMACA get excellent results from their crop, as they have implemented improved agricultural and processing practices that have earned them better prices. By working with such caring partners, a few of the women have even begun planting varieties like Chiroso, Gesha and Tabi — as they now feel more confident that with Pergamino’s support, they have a better chance to grow them successfully.
ABOUT EL TAMBO
The municipality of El Tambo is located some 30 kilometres west of the state of Cauca’s capital city Popayán, and is considered one of Colombia’s richest agricultural hubs. Thanks to the region’s varied topography and numerous microclimates, El Tambo can sustain most types of farming — from food crops like plantain and yuca, to cash crops like coffee and sugarcane. The surrounding area is home to three of Cauca’s main waterways: Río Patía, Río Cauca and Río Micay, along with the Munchique National Natural Park, which contains 30 streams, 40 waterfalls and some of Colombia’s most biodiverse lands.
El Tambo is the traditional home of the Pubense people, whose capital was located in the valley of Pubén (modern day Popayán). Like many of the region’s indigenous communities, they fiercely defended their land during the brutal Spanish invasion of Colombia and are one of the few cultures that have survived colonisation. In El Tambo, most Pubenses live in the Alto del Rey (which translates to “the king’s heights” in Spanish) indigenous reserve, a small hamlet nestled in the municipality’s hills. Founded in the 16th century, Alto del Rey continues to operate under its own rule of law, independently of the Colombian government. Its communities are dedicated to sustenance farming of traditional crops like yuca and corn, with families and neighbours trading amongst themselves (rather than using money) to protect their food sovereignty and independence.
Coffee from Cauca has historically been very difficult to access due to the region’s isolation and instability. For many years this part of Colombia was under the control of Colombia’s notorious rebel group, the FARC, and as a result, it was unsafe and violent. Since 2012, safe access to this region has been possible as a result of peace talks between the national government and the rebels. Thanks to these efforts, more and more stunning coffees from small producers in the region have become accessible to international buyers.
Our export partners for this coffee, Pergamino, have worked hard to commercialise specialty-grade coffee throughout Cauca, and are now able to source some outstanding coffees from very dedicated producers. They work closely with the producers to give them feedback on their coffees (provided by Pergamino’s expert team of cuppers) and provide top up payments when the coffee is sold at a higher premium.
Head here to learn more about the work of Pergamino.
HOW THIS COFFEE WAS PROCESSED
Coffee cherries for this lot were selectively hand-harvested, with most labour being provided by Rebeca and her family. These were processed using the washed method at La Albania’s ‘micro-beneficio’ (mill).
The coffee was pulped using a small manual or electric pulper and then placed into a fermentation tank, where it was fermented for up to 48 hours (depending on the weather) before being washed using clean water from nearby rivers and streams.
The coffee was then carefully dried (over 10–18 days) on parabolic beds, which are constructed a bit like a ‘hoop house’ greenhouse, and act to protect the coffee from the rain and prevent condensation dripping back onto the drying beans. The greenhouses are constructed out of plastic sheets and have adjustable walls to help with airflow and temperature control to ensure the coffee can dry slowly and evenly.
Once dry, the coffee was delivered to Pergamino’s warehouse in Medellín, where it was cupped and graded. Once approved, coffee rested in parchment until it was ready for export.
