Colombia Nariño Supremo Coffee Returns to Starbucks Stores for a Limited Time

After an 8-year hiatus, Starbucks is once again offering Colombia Nariño Supremo coffee in participating Starbucks stores in the U.S. and Canada, and online for a limited time. This coffee shares a long history with the company: It first debuted in Starbucks® stores as a single-origin coffee in 1990.

“When I started working at Starbucks in 1993, the first coffee I tasted was Colombia Nariño Supremo,” said Andrew Linnemann, Starbucks vice president of Global Coffee and Tea Quality, Roastery Operations. “I can still remember the heady aroma, along with the richness and depth in the cup. I never thought a coffee could be so exotic and memorable.”

Colombia Nariño Supremo is a medium-bodied coffee with herbal and bittersweet chocolate notes and a walnut-like finish, distinctive to Colombia’s Nariño region. The coffee is the second offering in Starbucks new series of single-origin coffees and is 100 percent C.A.F.E. Practices, verified by an independent third-party to help ensure that the coffee is grown according to our economic, social and environmental benchmarks.

“Nariño’s signature flavor is nutty and herbal, but when those tastes are enhanced with a juicy, mouthwatering acidity, it gives what a local exporter describes as a ‘special kick,’” Linnemann said. “We love that kick!”

As its name suggests, Colombia Nariño Supremo comes from the Nariño region in southwest Colombia. Supremo refers to the coffee bean’s superior size that lends itself to a consistent roast and depth of flavor.

Nestled between the Amazon basin and the Andes Mountains, coffee in Nariño grows at elevations around 6,000 feet. The high elevation and tropical climate allow the coffee cherries to develop slowly, creating a complex and refined flavor. Because of its proximity to the coast and active volcanoes, Nariño’s soil has an unusually high percentage of organic material that provides the perfect conditions for coffee trees to flourish.

Over the years, Starbucks has found exceptional coffees from this region and has used Nariño coffee in a variety of ways – from Starbucks® Espresso Roast to single-origin Colombia Nariño and Nariño 70 Cold Brew.

“Seeing this coffee return to our stores is like welcoming home cherished family and friends,” said Linnemann. “You pick up right where you left off, one cup at a time.”