The Colombia JAIRO ARCILA from PLOT Roasting is a truly fruity ride. In the cup, sweet maraschino cherries and raspberries meet notes of brownie and pink lemonade. The cherries definitely don’t take a back seat here, and their sweetness appears in several different forms. Add to that a delicate floral hint of rose, and the result is a juicy, sweet cup that you certainly won’t mistake for a classic Colombian coffee.
Behind this coffee is Jairo Arcila, a third-generation producer from the Quindío region of Colombia. He has been dedicated to coffee for more than 40 years, and today, together with his sons, he manages six farms, including Santa Monica. In cultivation and processing, they focus primarily on careful harvesting, sorting, and fermentation. Quindío is part of Colombia’s Coffee Triangle, a region known for its mountainous landscape, fertile volcanic soil, and a long tradition of coffee cultivation. In recent years, more and more producers here have also been focusing on specialty coffee and experimental processing—which is exactly the case with Jairo Arcila.
The coffee underwent a washed process, preceded by a 48-hour anaerobic fermentation. First, only fully ripe cherries are hand-selected; these are then floated to remove underripe or damaged fruits. They are then fermented in a sealed environment together with other cherries and wine yeast. After fermentation, the coffee is pulped and thoroughly washed. The beans are then dried on raised beds, where they are regularly turned to ensure even drying until they reach a moisture content of 9.5–11%. The combination of washed processing and this unusual fermentation gives this coffee its distinctly fruity character.
- Producer: Jairo Arcila
- Altitude: 1,450–1,500 m above sea level
- Harvest: December 2025