Regional denomination for washed arabica with medium-high acidity and body, clean and balanced, with citric and fruity notes, grown at 1,000-2,000 m.
Café del Tolima is one of six regional denominations of origin listed alongside Nariño, Cauca, Huila, Santander and Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in recent research literature on Colombian coffee denominations. Its specification covers 38 Tolima municipalities at 1,000-2,000 m and describes a washed arabica with medium-high acidity and body, a clean, balanced cup with sweetness, citric and fruity sensations.
Field notes
- i
The specification ties Tolima's acidity and fruit to soils derived from volcanic ash, with an average pH of 5.0 and a prevailing temperature of 20-21 °C.
- ii
It gives Tolima two harvest calendars, and lists Lérida under both.
In the cup, according to guides
- AcidityMoreThe specification's certification criteria call for medium-high acidity.
- BodyMoreThe same criteria call for medium-high body.
- CitrusOften notedCitric sensations are named alongside fruity ones and sweetness.
Processing
Sources · 2 Every sentence here was checked against a source we read. Taste notes are what guides describe, not promises about your bag. Last revised 2026-11-10. Some details here are less settled than others.
- Territory-linked coffee quality in Lengupá Province (Boyacá, Colombia): a case study toward a denomination of origin · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems
- Product specification for Café de Tolima (PGI, GB number F0102) · UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (gov.uk protected food names)