El Viejo Caldas refers to the historic coffee-growing zone that encompasses the departments of Caldas, Quindío, and Risaralda, located in Colombia’s central Andes. These lands are part of the UNESCO-recognized “Coffee Cultural Landscape,” where generations of smallholder families have built their livelihoods around coffee cultivation. At elevations of 1,800 to 2,100 meters, the combination of rich volcanic soil, steady rainfall, and temperate climate create excellent conditions for specialty-grade Arabica.

Over half a million Colombian families depend on coffee, and in Viejo Caldas, farming remains highly traditional and community-centered. Most producers work on small plots of a few hectares, carefully handpicking ripe cherries before delivering them for processing. This collective effort ensures consistency and quality, while also preserving Colombia’s global reputation for balance, sweetness, and clean flavor profiles.