Colombia Jardines Del Eden Naturally fermented Maragesha

CAMPAIGN – 20% DISCOUNT ON THIS AND OUR OTHER EXCLUSIVE COFFEES IN THE FINEST SERIES DURING NORDIC COFFEE FEST 27-29 FEBRUARY. We will be brewing this and the other five coffees in the series all weekend at our stand. Read more at: https://www.nordiccoffeefest.com/

Maragesha is a natural hybrid between two well-known varieties: Gesha and Maragogype. The crossbreed arose spontaneously on Luis Anibal's farm, Finca Villa Betulia. Luis Anibal discovered Maragesha on his farm in 2017, when he noticed that a few trees were producing coffee berries that were clearly different from the others. He separated these berries and began the meticulous work of cultivating and stabilising the new variety.

Luis Anibal's discovery and further development of Maragesha highlights the great potential of natural hybridisation in coffee cultivation. By carefully selecting and propagating this new variety, he has contributed to increased genetic diversity in coffee, which is crucial for the long-term sustainability of production and resilience to challenges such as climate change and plant diseases.

Maragesha is an exciting addition to the world of specialty coffee. In 2021, Cofinet planted the variety on its Jardines del Edén farm, located at an altitude of 2,050 metres above sea level. Since cultivation began, they have observed the variety's exceptional characteristics, with a consistently complex and elegant flavour profile.

Gesha, originating in Ethiopia, is renowned for its exceptional cup quality. It is often characterised by floral notes with hints of jasmine and tropical fruit, balanced by an elegant and lively acidity.

Maragogype, often called the ‘elephant bean’ because of its unusually large beans, is a mutation of Typica. The variety is known for its mild and smooth flavour profile with subtle sweetness and low acidity.

BACKGROUND TO THIS NANO-LOT

At Jardines, the harvesting team selectively picks only the ripest coffee berries, which are then carefully transported to La Pradera – Cofinet's processing centre. To preserve the freshness of the berries, they are transported in GrainPro bags or other suitable containers during the cool morning hours. This is an important step in preventing unwanted over-fermentation.

Upon arrival, the berries first undergo flotation separation in water tanks, where low-density beans are removed. The water used in this process is reused for several batches. When it is no longer usable, it is filtered through a series of specially designed tanks and then passed through beds of vetiver grass before being discharged. This natural filtration process purifies the water, ensures that no contaminated water leaves the processing centre and contributes to environmentally sustainable operations. After flotation separation, the coffee berries undergo careful manual sorting. Unripe, overripe and defective berries are removed to ensure that only the highest quality fruit continues in the process.

For this lot, the coffee beans undergo 45 hours of aerobic fermentation. This method brings out the coffee's inherent flavours and results in a cup that is rich, complex and clearly rooted in its origin.

The berries are then spread out on raised beds to dry. They are carefully monitored and turned regularly to ensure an even drying process and prevent over-fermentation and mould formation. Drying takes between 8 and 12 days. During this time, sugars and flavourings from the fruit pulp slowly penetrate the beans, creating a unique profile with intense fruitiness, distinct sweetness and a full body.