Sandbox - EF2 Natural Chiroso | Colombia
Description
Colombia — Jairo Arcila Santa Monica Chiroso (EF2 Natural)
Tastes Like — 🍍 Pineapple • 🍬 Gummy Candy • 🌺 Tropical Fruit
DETAILS
- Producer: Jairo Arcila
- Farm: Santa Monica
- Region: Quindío, Colombia
- Varietal: Chiroso
- Process: EF2 Natural (Extended Fermentation, Two-Stage)
- Harvest: 2025
- Size: 150g
INTRO
From Jairo Arcila's Santa Monica farm in Quindío, this EF2 Natural Chiroso is a bold and expressive lot shaped by a precise two-stage fermentation. Pronounced tropical fruit sweetness, gummy candy character, and a structured pineapple acidity define the cup — lively and layered, yet cohesive across brew methods.
THE PRODUCER
Santa Monica is a family-managed farm in Quindío, led by Jairo Arcila — a producer recognised for pushing the boundaries of experimental processing while maintaining a clear focus on consistency and quality. His approach combines generational farming knowledge with modern post-harvest technique, allowing distinctive varieties like Chiroso to express their full potential. The farm's elevation, cool temperatures, and good airflow create the slow fruit development that underpins Arcila's precise processing work.
Chiroso is an elongated, Typica-like variety found primarily in Colombia's Antioquia and Eje Cafetero regions. Prized for its naturally expressive aromatic profile and ability to deliver both intensity and elegance, it is particularly well suited to high-altitude growing and careful processing — exactly the conditions Arcila provides at Santa Monica.
THE PROCESS
The EF2 Natural process at Santa Monica involves:
🍒 Hand-picking — Cherries selected at peak ripeness 🌬️ Aerobic fermentation — 24 hours of dry aerobic fermentation, activating natural microorganisms to begin breaking down sugars in the mucilage 🔒 Anaerobic fermentation — Cherries sealed in GrainPro bags for 50 hours of anaerobic fermentation, held below 22°C for precision and control ☀️ Raised-bed drying — Coffee dried on raised beds for 18 days
The two-stage fermentation is the defining step — the aerobic phase initiates flavour development while the sealed anaerobic phase amplifies tropical fruit intensity, all within tightly controlled parameters that preserve the Chiroso's inherent character and keep the cup clean and defined.
THE CUP
A vibrant and fruit-forward Chiroso from one of Quindío's most technically accomplished producers — richly sweet, juicy with pineapple acidity, and layered with a complexity that reveals itself cup after cup. A standout expression of what Colombian experimental processing can achieve.
Flavour Notes
🍍 Pineapple 🍬 Gummy Candy 🌺 Tropical Fruit
