This is our first Chiroso varietal we have released and easily made our top 3 favourite coffees we’ve ever roasted. It’s got a distinct flavour profile, intensely sweet and reminds us of the greatest of washed coffee!
This 100% Chiroso micro-lot was grown and processed at Finca El Jardín, which translates to ‘the garden’ in Spanish. The property, previously known as Finca La Palma, was once part of Pergamino founders the Echavarría family’s Santa Bárbara Estate, but is now owned by the company’s Director of Coffee Léo Henao and wife Jenny. This stunning property is located in the municipality of Santa Barbara, in Colombia’s state of Antioquia. The farm is 67-hectares in size (15 under coffee) and sits at a staggering 1,950 – 2,050m above sea level, with rich volcanic soil and abundant water sources that contribute to excellent productivity — even at such a high elevation.
The Chiroso variety was ‘discovered’ in the municipality of Urrao (also in the state of Antioquia), where it was initially thought to be a mutation of the Caturra variety, which is widely planted in the area. Chiroso was first selected and cultivated for its resilience to the cool climate of Antioquia, but eventually became recognised for its complex and floral cup profile – and the opportunity it presents in attracting higher premiums from specialty buyers.
More recent DNA studies done on the variety have shown Chiroso to be an Ethiopian landrace variety (similar to the famous Gesha variety), though it is still unclear how it ended up in Antioquia, Colombia.
