Colombia
Finca Palmichal - Colombia
250g
QUALITY SCORE: 87.75
Cup Notes
Lemon Zest / Maple Syrup / Green Apple / Caramel
Suggested for espresso and filter
when we roast
We freshly roast to order all coffees on Monday, Wednesday and Friday (excluding national holidays), and ship the same day! Cut-off time is 11:59pm (UTC+1) of the day before the roast day. *We only ship whole beans*
Details
- Quality Score
- 87.75
- Producer
- Atilano Giraldo
- Country
- Colombia
- Terroir
- Quindìo
- Altitude
- 1560 mt
- Process
- Classic Washed
- Arabica cultivar
- Castillo
- Picked in
- January 2020
- Arrived in
- August 2020
- Shipped in
- Jute + GrainPro
- Roast profile by
- Rubens Gardelli
- Roasted on
- Customised solid-drum roaster
THE STORY BEHIND
On the quest for remarkable coffees, you simply cannot overlook Colombia. Colombia has earned a reputation for high quality coffee thanks to farmers’ hard work and excellent terrain.
The department of Quindío is nestled to the west of the highest Andes sierra, the Cordillera Central. Refreshing yet calm winds descend through green valleys, whilst volcano cones rise impressively. This area, forming part of the Eje Cafetero (coffee axis), has become famous for its long tradition of coffee cultivation. In the very south of Quindío lies the municipality of Génova.
Atilano Giraldo’s Finca Palmichal is situated in this district at an altitude of on average 1,560 meters. The total 53 hectares of the farm are planted with coffee trees. The finca curls along lush hills next to yucca and green plantain trees. Having worked alongside his father for years, Atilano is now the third generation of coffee growers in this area.
Over the years he has perfected the processes and his knowledge about coffee to create an Arabica full of abundant aromas and prosperous body. Luckily, two rain seasons enable Atilano to harvest his coffee twice a year.
THE VARIETY
Castillo is named after the researcher Jamie Castillo, who helped Cenicafe, Colombia’s coffee research centre, develop the varietal in 2005.
Castillo was designed as an improvement on the Colombia variety. It is resistant to leaf rust (roya) and has quickly become the most planted coffee in Colombia. It is high-yield, resistant to leaf rust and other prevalent diseases and its smaller size allows for greater planting density.
THE FERMENTATION PROCESS
Washed coffees showcase solely the bean. They let you taste you what's on the inside, not the outside. Washed coffees depend almost 100% on the bean having absorbed enough natural sugars and nutrients during its growing cycle. This means the varietal, soil, weather, ripeness, fermentation, washing, and drying are absolutely key.
Washed coffees reflect both the science of growing the perfect coffee bean and the fact that farmers are an integral part of crafting the taste of a coffee bean. When looking at washed coffees, it becomes apparent that the country of origin and environmental conditions play a vital role in adding to the flavour.
During wet processing, the pulp (i.e.the exocarp and a part of the mesocarp) is removed mechanically. The remaining mesocarp, called mucilage, sticks to the parchment and is also removed before drying. During this process, the sugars present in the mucilage are removed through natural fermentation or mechanical scrubbing. Mucilage is insoluble in water and clings to parchment too strongly to be removed by simple washing. Mucilage can be removed by fermentation followed by washing or by strong friction in machines called mucilage removers. Fermentation can be done by stacking the coffee outside or placing it under water and allowing nature to take its course. After the sugars are removed, the beans then can be taken through a secondary washing to remove any additional debris, or taken immediately to the beds for drying.
