SPECIAL RELEASE | LOS NOGALES - WASHED

by St. Ali Coffee Roasters

In the misty mountains of Bruselas, Huila, “Los Nogales” has been home to the Hernández family’s coffee for five generations. For nearly 80 years, this land has shaped their lives, passing down a deep respect for coffee cultivation and a relentless pursuit of quality. It began when Ricardo Hernández and Concepción Castillo arrived in the region from Nariño, settling in what was then a newly forming coffee-growing community. Their son, Ricaurte Hernández, grew up among the coffee trees, instilled with a sense of generosity and humility that would define his approach to farming. He dedicated his life to coffee, working alongside his wife, Suldery Arango, and raising their children with the same passion for the land. The farm’s defining moment came in 2005, when Los Nogales won first place in the Cup of Excellence, a groundbreaking achievement putting them at the forefront of Colombian specialty coffee. Yet their success was not without hardship. In 2013, Ricaurte was tragically killed