La Falda - Colombia

Santiago Caro is a 26 year-old producer whose father planted Chiroso more than 10 years ago on their family farm in Urrao, well before the variety became sought-after for its high cup quality potential. As with other coffees from the region, this lot was processed with a longer fermentation time than is common for a washed coffee. This method is partially an adaptation for limited tank space and lower yields, but also a reflection of a distinctive regional tradition of processing. Fermentation occurs over five days: cherry is picked, floated, depulped, and placed to ferment in a stainless steel tank, with each subsequent day’s pickings added to the same tank. As a result, some cherry is fermented only 24 hours and some as long as 120 hours. The result is often a dense fruit-forward profile, though here we find a milder, more balanced representation: soft tropicals, citrus, botanicals, and nutty sweetness.