Colombia - Finca La Marulanda

The Story Santiago Salas grew up in the countryside of southwestern Antioquia, left for the city at 18, and spent years wanting to come back. In 2023 he got his chance, starting with 400 Chiroso trees on a small piece of land his father-in-law gave his wife in Urrao. He later bought the adjacent lot from his brother-in-law, and Finca La Marulanda is what he has been building since. He is 30 years old and fully committed to specialty quality. Chiroso is a naturally occurring Ethiopian-lineage variety found almost exclusively in Urrao, increasingly sought after for its floral aromatics and distinct cup character. Santiago grows 2,500 trees at 1,800 meters, with another 1,000 on the way. He processes using a method called cochadas, a traditional approach where cherry harvested throughout the week accumulates and is depulped daily until Friday, then ferments together in concrete tanks with a small amount of water for four to five days. After fermentation the coffee is washed and dried in a marquesina, a raised greenhouse drying structure, for eight to twelve days with constant turning for even drying. The extended fermentation window is what makes cochadas distinctive and demands careful attention to avoid tipping into defect. The result is a complex, fruit forward coffee that still finishes clean and sparkly. In the cup, we have notes of açaí berry, lime, and sweet florals.