Tolima is one of Colombia’s traditional coffee-producing departments and, together with Caldas, Risaralda, Quindío, Huila, and Cauca, forms part of the country’s main coffee-growing region. While the best-known areas in Tolima are in the south, such as Chaparral and Planadas, our focus has been on China Alta, a rural zone just north of Ibagué.

China Alta is a lesser-known but highly promising coffee region. It has the key conditions for quality production: high altitude, dedicated smallholder producers, and a strong presence of traditional coffee varieties. The area is close in distance but difficult to reach, with an old unpaved road that can take around two hours and may require walking sections or changing vehicles when conditions are poor.

The route climbs steadily until reaching around 2,000 meters above sea level, near Los Nevados Natural Park. The region is mainly planted with Colombia and Caturra varieties in an approximate 70/30 ratio. Caturra is a compact variety known for its cup quality, though it became less common after coffee leaf rust spread and rust-resistant varieties were promoted.

Colombia is a rust-resistant variety developed by Cenicafé in 1982 from deliberate crossings, including Timor Hybrid. It was designed to withstand coffee leaf rust, a destructive disease that attacks the leaves and weakens the tree. Despite this,
Caturra remains highly valued for quality, and it is still found in areas less influenced
by institutional variety replacement.

During the week, the coffee is harvested and the different pickings are blended together. It is then left to ferment for 24 hours, and after that it moves on to drying, allowing the coffee to reach stable and even moisture.