About This Coffee
Brothers Felipe and Carlos Arcila come from a long line of coffee farmers. Their father and grandfather cultivated coffee in Armenia, Colombia. Carlos remembers riding through his family’s coffee fields with his grandfather. They would sample cherry from different trees and varieties as their rode across the farm.
Cultivation
Felipe and Carlos purchased Jardines del Eden recently. In addition to the Castillo in this blend, they have planted a range of some of the most exotic and highly-sought-after varieties in the coffee world including Geisha, Sidra and Pink Bourbon. They hope to begin harvesting these in 2021.
They also cultivate banana, plantain and mandarin oranges on the farm.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
Cherry is selectively handpicked and then laid in thin layers on patios to sundry for approximately 15 to 20 days. When the weather is unsuited for sundrying, a mechanical dryer may be used to complete drying.
Once dry, the cherry is loaded into empty oak barrels for 8 days. While resting here, it takes on the aromas of the oak, adding sweetness and complexity to the final cup. Oak is also well known for imparting flavors of vanilla, caramel and spice.
Once dry, coffee is stored for 20 to 30 days in a temperature-controlled warehouse in Armenia before being transported to the warehouse in Manrepo, Armenia.
Coffee in Colombia
Colombia has been producing and exporting coffee renowned for their full body, bright acidity and rich aftertaste, since the early 19th century.
Colombia boasts a wide range of climates and geographic conditions that produce their own unique flavors in coffee. This also means that harvest times can vary quite a bit. In fact, between all its different regions, Colombia produces fresh crop nearly all year round.
The increasing focus on the specialty industry is changing the way traders and farmers do business. It is becoming more common for farmers to isolate the highest quality beans in their lots to market separately. These higher-quality lots are often sold under specific brands or stories.
Besides its wide variety of cup profiles, Colombia has quickly expanded its certification options over the past 10 years. The most common certifications available are Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance and Organic.