El Refugio Clair

Villamaría, Caldas Producer · Agudelo Uribe family, El Refugio Estate The Agudelo Uribe family acquired El Refugio in August 2020. Before its conversion to coffee, the 7.5-hectare property was used for livestock and grass; today it is a young specialty farm shaped by family, landscape and intention. El Refugio sits high on the volcanic mountain range of Nevado del Ruiz, where cool temperatures, frequent Andean rainfall and pronounced wet seasons support slow cherry development at 1,750–2,050 metres. The family has planted native trees throughout the farm to create an agroforestry system: shade that protects the coffee from strong mountain winds, roots that reduce erosion, nitrogen fixed back into the volcanic soil, and habitat and food for native birds. The main harvest runs October–January, with a fly crop in March–June. All coffee is processed in an EcoMill, which integrates pulping and fermentation while using substantially less water than conventional washed processing, before careful drying to preserve lot clarity and traceability. Asteri note: A young, high-altitude Colombian Geisha of unusual clarity — lemon zest, mango, buttery body and black tea.