Colombia La Cristalina

The Palestinian Association Group was formed in 2015 through the initiative of its member families to improve the quality of life for coffee growers in the area. The association is made up of eight members and 50 coffee-growing families who together grow coffee on a total of 200 hectares. The varieties grown are Colombia, Caturra, and Castillo. Group members maintain the traditional washed coffee process and also innovate by exploring anaerobic and natural processes. They work together to expand their knowledge through training, drinking water management, and infrastructure improvements. La Cristalina is part of a natural processing program in Huila.

Most producers come from coffee-growing families who inherited their farms from their grandparents and parents. Other families received their farms as part of the government restitution program, which seeks to preserve the coffee tradition in the region.

Their coffee is named Critalina for its bright, crystal-clear cup.

Harvesting is selective, with cherries picked only when they have reached their peak ripeness. The cherries are then sun-dried on raised pallets for 22 to 26 days. During the day, they are raked every few hours to ensure even drying.

After the drying period, the cherries, converted into raisins, are stored in GraiPro bags to rest. This way, the cherries absorb all the flavors that later emerge in the cup.