Description
MEET THE PRODUCER | There's an invisible string tying this story to so many other coffees coming from our partners at Cofinet: family. In the case of this stunning Maragesha lot, it was produced by Felipe Arcila, son of renown Colombian producer Jairo Arcila. Felipe is a fourth generation coffee producer and also the co-founder of Cofinet alongside his brother, Carlos. Cofinet is dedicated to growing, sourcing, and distributing delicious specialty coffee throughout Colombia and exporting it around the world, and we are so grateful for their partnership with us.
On the advice of their father, Felipe Arcila and his brother initially sought careers in civil engineering, traveling all the way to Australia to pursue masters degrees in the field. Felipe fell in love with the coffee culture he experienced while in Australia and eventually convinced his brother to move back to Colombia with him and carry on the family business. They purchased their farm, Jardines Del Eden, in 2015, and acquired a second farm, Jardines del Encanto, a few years later. The rest - as they say - is history.
TRUST THE PROCESS | Felipe's proprietary EF2 Natural process isn't necessarily flashy, but it is meticulously and carefully executed at every step, ensuring that these high-grown beans are showcased in a way that exemplifies the characteristics of this special hybrid variety, as well as the terroir from which it came.
After being picked at peak ripeness and sorted by Brix content, the coffee cherries first undergo 24 hours of dry, aerobic fermentation before being sealed off in GrainPro bags. Here, they settle in for an additional 50 hours of anaerobic fermentation at 22 degrees Celsius, during which time bacteria feasts on the carbohydrates and sugars found in the coffee mucilage, leading to a higher concentration of lactic acid. Eventually, the coffee is spread out to dry on raised beds, until 11% moisture content is achieved.
TAKE A SIP | When hot, this coffee is intensely floral, like hibiscus. It's a certified berry bomb, with notes ranging from blueberries to raspberries to strawberries, with additional red fruits (like pomegranate) thrown into the mix.
As the coffee approaches a pleasantly warm temperature, those red fruits transition to orange and yellow tropical fruits, and the cup as a whole is more complex and citric in nature. Fruits like mango, passion fruit, guava, and fresh oranges come to mind. The coffee is still floral at this temperature - not only on the nose, but also in taste - reminding us of elderflower liqueur.
When cool, the coffee is intensely citric, structured, and complex. The texture is big and heavy, and the fruit notes are still rather tropical. It's a truly stunning sip at this temperature, reminding of something akin to both a Capri Sun and a white sangria.
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Origin | Quindio, Colombia
Producer | Felipe Arcila
Farms | Jardines del Eden, Jardines del Encanto
Process | EF2 Natural
Variety | Maragesha (hybrid of Maragogipe and Gesha)
Elevation | 1800-1900 masl
BLACK LABEL ARCHIVE
All of our Black Label releases this year in one location.
So go ahead, pull that coffee from the freezer and get brewing.
