Nariño

Nariño, in the far south-west of Colombia on the border with Ecuador, grows some of the highest coffee in the country, up to about 2,300 metres. That high, coffee would normally struggle, but Nariño sits close to the equator, on volcanic soils around the Galeras volcano. The cold, says Colombia’s coffee growers’ federation, makes the plants hold on to their sugars. Almost all of it is grown by families on less than a hectare. Since 2011 it has been a protected origin, Café de Nariño.

The short version

• Very high: up to about 2,300 m.
• Near the equator, on volcanic soils.
• Sweet, fruity and floral in the cup.
• One main harvest, mostly April to July.
• Tiny family farms, and a protected origin since 11 February 2011.

What does Nariño coffee taste like?

Sweet and fruity. The FNC’s two descriptions differ on the acidity:

Description	Source
Sweet, fruity aroma; sweet, fruity and floral flavour; medium, citric acidity; medium, creamy body	FNC regional profile
High acidity, medium body, sweet notes, a clean, smooth cup and a very pronounced aroma	FNC, the Café de Nariño denomination of origin
Strong, caramel-like fragrance and aroma; high acidity, medium body, balanced and clean, with sweet and floral notes	Nariño’s producers, in Diario La Economía

Why can coffee grow so high in Nariño?

Because of where it is. Sample Coffee Roasters explains that altitudes like Nariño’s wouldn’t normally suit coffee, but its position near the equator, more than 1,600 hours of sunshine a year, rich soils and reliable rainfall of about 1,800 mm make high-quality coffee possible. Spanish Wikipedia adds that the region sits in the Nudo de los Pastos, with soils derived from the ash of the Galeras volcano that supply many basic nutrients, and steady sunshine all year because it’s so close to the equator.

The FNC, which applied for Nariño’s protected name, sums it up: soils rich in organic matter, great altitude and low temperatures that make the plant conserve its sugars.

Altitude	Source
Up to 2,300 m	Wikipedia (Spanish)
1,500–2,300 m	Sample Coffee Roasters

When is coffee harvested in Nariño?

Once a year. Spanish Wikipedia says Nariño has a single rainy season, from October to May, with drier months from June to August, and that 90% of the main crop is picked between April and July. Tolima’s coffee committee also names Nariño as a region with one main harvest, unlike its own two.

Who grows coffee in Nariño?

Families, on very small plots. Página10 reported in September 2026 that about 40,412 families grow coffee in 41 municipalities, on 35,730 hectares, and that coffee makes up 57.4% of the department’s exports. The director of Nariño’s coffee committee, Hernando Delgado, told Diario La Economía in 2021 that 90% of growers plant less than one hectare, that the whole crop is family-run, and that every one of the 41 coffee municipalities produces specialty coffee in micro-lots. The varieties he listed were Castillo, Colombia, Caturra, Typica, Bourbon and Tambo.

In September 2026 the department held the latest La Mejor Taza de Nariño (the best cup of Nariño), a competition and fair that connects growers with national and international buyers, Página10 reported.

Nariño and other Colombian origins

• Coffee in Colombia: the whole country, its harvests and its figures.
• Cauca: volcanic soils and bright acidity.
• Huila: Colombia’s biggest producer.
• Tolima: two harvests a year.