Nestor Lasso Community Lot - Huila, Colombia

Quick Facts Producer: Smallholders, Néstor Lasso, Jhoan Vergara Country: Colombia Municipality/State: Acevedo / Pitalito, Huila Elevation: 1,700 – 1,900 m.a.s.l. Varieties: Caturra, Castillo Harvest: September - December/January Overview Located in the heart of Acevedo, Huila, the Peñas Blancas Central Washing Station is a collective project founded by producers Néstor Lasso and Jhoan Vergara, two of the most influential young figures in Colombia’s new generation of coffee innovators. Peñas Blancas was created with a clear vision: to democratize access to high-quality processing, giving local producers the opportunity to achieve better prices, long-term stability, and global recognition for their work. Beyond being a processing hub, Peñas Blancas has become a space for education, experimentation, and community growth, where producers learn advanced post-harvest techniques and gain direct access to international markets. Through its facilities, smallholders can process their coffees under consistent, traceable, and standardized protocols, ensuring quality and fairness at every stage. Processing Info: Washed Each lot undergoes flotation, carefully monitored fermentation for approximately 40 hours, and washing — following a rigorous protocol designed to highlight clarity, sweetness, and balance. Temperature and pH are closely controlled, and slow, even mechanical drying ensures an honest expression of origin. The goal at Peñas Blancas is for technology not to replace tradition, but to accompany it. Regional Info: Pitalito & Acevedo, Huila The department of Huila is one of Colombia's largest producers of coffee. It is home to the San Agustín Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Pitalito and Acevedo, in southern Huila, are renowned for coffees that are clean, juicy, and well-balanced. Grown at high elevations where cool temperatures and fertile volcanic soils allow for slow, even cherry maturation, the result is a clear and sweet cup that reflects its terroir.