How does a Tolima coffee farm reach Cup of Excellence champion level?

Finca Montreal sits in Tolima, Colombia's third-largest coffee-producing department, which supplies roughly 12% of national output. Owner Duberney Cifuentes Fajardo comes from a third-generation growing family and has won the Cup of Excellence championship. The farm's story reflects how high altitude, volcanic soils, and varied Andean microclimates shape Colombian coffee quality and competition results.

Colombian coffee trees are typically planted on steep Andean slopes around 1,300 meters, where temperatures stay near 18°C and annual rainfall reaches 2,000 to 3,000 millimeters. The three cordilleras create microclimates that allow harvest across the year. Main specialty coffee regions include Cauca, Santander, Narino, Tolima, and Huila, each with distinct flavor profiles tied to local terroir.

As the world's third-largest coffee producer, Colombia nurtures countless high-quality coffees thanks to the high altitudes, volcanic soils, and diverse climates of the Andean region. Among its departments, Tolima is the country's third-largest producing region, contributing 12% of the annual coffee output. It is here that Finca Montreal is located, and its owner, Duberney Cifuentes Fajardo, although a third-generation coffee producer, has already won the championship at the Cup of Excellence (COE). This article will guide you through the full picture of Colombia's coffee regions and take a deeper look at Finca Montreal's varieties, terroir, and competition journey. Front Street Coffee has also put together related recommendations for you.

Colombia is not only rich in natural resources but also the world's third-largest coffee-producing country, with output second only to Brazil and Vietnam.

Colombia

This country in northern South America has both coastlines and land, abundant natural resources, and is home to numerous volcanoes and rivers, with forest coverage accounting for 51.9% of its territory.

In terms of terrain, Colombia can be divided into western mountains and eastern plains. The west is dominated by the Andes, along with several coastal plains; the east consists of the Orinoco Plain and the Amazon Plain. Within Colombia, the Andes extend into three cordilleras: the Eastern, Central, and Western.

Colombia lies entirely within the tropics, and its climate varies with elevation. The southern part of the eastern plains and the Pacific coast have a tropical rainforest climate, the mountains at elevations of 1,000 to 2,000 meters have a subtropical climate, and the northwest has a tropical savanna climate. High-altitude mountains, volcanic soils, variable climates, and abundant rainfall and sunshine provide exceptional conditions for coffee cultivation.

Coffee-producing regions

Most coffee trees in Colombia are planted on steep slopes at elevations of about 1,300 meters in the Andes, where temperatures remain around 18°C year-round and annual rainfall reaches 2,000 to 3,000 millimeters. The three cordilleras run north-south and extend toward the Andes; the mountain terraces create diverse microclimates, making harvest possible throughout the year.

Colombia's main coffee-producing regions include Cauca, Santander, Narino, Tolima, and Huila. There are two harvest seasons each year: the main season is concentrated from October to January of the following year, while the secondary season runs from April to July.

Tolima: Tolima is located in west-central Colombia and is the country's third-largest coffee-producing region, accounting for 12% of national coffee output. Coffee is mostly grown on hillsides at elevations of about 1,544 meters. Compared with southern Colombian regions, coffee farms here are slightly larger, usually between 10 and 15 hectares. The Tolima region is home to several well-known estates, such as Finca Santa Ana and Finca Montreal.

Finca Montreal

The owner of Finca Montreal is Duberney Cifuentes Fajardo, who owns two coffee farms—Finca Montreal and La Espana 1—both managed together with his family and friends.

Duberney is a third-generation coffee producer and has been involved in coffee growing for 19 years. After purchasing the farm in 2014, he officially began cultivating coffee. Although the estate has a short history, in 2017 he entered the Colombia Cup of Excellence (COE) competition and placed sixth on his first attempt with a blend of Geisha and Caturra. In 2018, he won second place with a single-variety Geisha, and by 2023, he topped the competition as champion with a Geisha variety, scoring 90.61 points.

His repeated success is thanks to Duberney's previous work at the well-known specialty green coffee trader Caravela, where he held a technical position. This experience allowed him to accumulate rich knowledge in coffee tree care and coffee processing techniques, which he later applied to his own farm. Currently, the varieties grown on the estate include Geisha, Caturra, and Sidra.

Front Street Coffee recommendation: Finca Montreal's Geisha lot has distinct floral and citrus notes, suitable for pour-over or siphon brewing. A water temperature of 90-92°C and a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:15 are recommended to better showcase its layers.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.