Huila

Huila is Colombia's largest producing department and the name most often printed on a bag of Colombian coffee. It sits in the upper Magdalena valley between two Andean ranges, which gives it altitude, shelter and a very long ripening window.

Almost all of it is smallholder — farms of one to three hectares, wet-processing at home and drying on the roof — and the department's competition record is out of proportion even to its size.

The Colombian profile at its sweetest: caramel and panela over clean citric acidity, medium body, and red fruit on the higher lots. Consistent enough that Huila is what most people mean by 'Colombian'.

A high inter-Andean valley flanked by the Central and Eastern cordilleras, with a long, mild ripening season.