Price range: €15,90 through €48,00
Origin: Nariño, Colombia
Producer: Inga community smallholders
Variety: Caturra
Process: Honey
Altitude: 2000 – 2300 m
Harvest: May 2026
Aromatic profile: Honey, cacao, hazelnuts
Aponte is a small village and indigenous reserve located in the municipality of Tablón de Gómez, in the northwest of Nariño. To get there, you must first endure a nerve-wracking landing at the Pasto airport.
It’s a 2-hour drive from Pasto to Buesaco, the nearest major town, and from there, another 2-3 hours on an unpaved road that leads into the magical world of the Juanambu Canyon.
Aponte, Nariño, has great historical significance as it was considered the northern tip of the Inca Empire. Colonized by the great chieftain Carlos Tamabioy, the story goes that he left Peru with 16 children in the mid-15th century, traveling through Ecuador and reaching the south of Colombia, creating Inga reservations, a community that belonged to the Inca Empire. The furthest point he reached was what we now know as Aponte, at the time called Janguana, where he established his final village and where he died at the age of 106.
Process
The Inga people specialize in honey processing which is facilitated by the unique climate of the region. In Aponte, constant high-altitude mist condenses moisture from the air, creating naturally cold, dry winds. On covered parabolic beds, the depulped, mucilage-covered seeds undergo slow drying at cool temperatures (16–18°C) using this naturally dehumidified air. The result is a clean, bright and sweet cup.
