Colombia La Reserva from Carrow Coffee Roasters is exactly the kind of coffee where you don’t have to search hard for tropical notes. In the cup, it immediately reveals mango, sweet melon, and candied orange, complemented by a juicy acidity and pronounced sweetness. The mango provides a richer tropical note, the watermelon lightens the profile, and the candied orange lingers pleasantly in the aftertaste. As the temperature drops, the flavor gradually opens up, the sweetness comes more to the forefront, and the citrus note takes on a slightly different character.
Behind this lot is Marlon Rojas Pérez and his Finca La Reserva in Pitalito, in Colombia’s Huila region. Coffee trees here grow at an elevation of around 1,720 meters, and this is also where the less common Papayo variety originates. It gets its name from the elongated shape of ripe cherries, which resembles a papaya. In recent years, this variety has drawn attention mainly for its distinctive aroma, sweetness, and very lively fruity character. In Marlon Rojas’s interpretation, its tropical side is truly unmistakable.
The processing of this lot is a chapter unto itself. After harvesting perfectly ripe cherries, the coffee first undergoes 48 hours of oxidation; only then is the pulp removed, and the coffee is transferred to sealed containers for another 88 hours of anaerobic fermentation. This is followed by washing and slow drying over a period of 15 days. It’s a relatively intense process, but here it doesn’t result in a heavy, fermented profile. On the contrary, it brings out the Papayo variety’s tropical sweetness, juiciness, and distinctive aroma, while also allowing the cup’s clarity to shine through. The result is a cup that starts with a tropical burst and finishes with surprising clarity.
- Producer: Marlon Rojas Pérez
- Farm: Finca La Reserva
- Harvest: May–June 2025