A coffee of competition quality!

Finca La Macarena is one of Wilton Benitez's three farms, located in the municipality of Piendamo, Cauca, southern Colombia.

The Cauca region in Colombia benefits from a stable climate and protection from Pacific winds. Low nighttime temperatures enhance coffee cherries' sugar content and acidity, resulting in sweet, fruity notes. The diverse terrain produces varied coffee characteristics, and the region is known for unique micro-lots and nano-lots with distinct profiles.

Wilton is a passionate coffee producer, an example of how steadfast determination, unwavering passion and having a vision can yield significant results also in the realm of coffee cultivation.

In 2019, his coffee set a new record for the international auction price of Colombian coffee. From then on, his motivation and creativity has only grown.

Wilton's passion for coffee cultivation started in his youth and evolved with his growing interest in technology. This combination of interests led him to integrate advanced technology into coffee farming, resulting in some of the industry's most innovative coffees. Today, he is well-known among consumers actively seeking his unique offerings.

His family farm, Finca Paraiso-92, produces over 20 coffee varietals using advanced cultivation techniques. It features a microbiology lab, quality lab, and processing plant. The coffee production involves careful selection, sterilization, and characterization of cherries, followed by controlled anaerobic fermentation. Every step of the process is meticulously monitored from start to finish. Today, his project encompasses three farms - La Macarena, Las Brisas and Granja Paraíso92 - spanning more than 100 hectares, 20 of which are designated as protected forests. Two other multi-generational farmers, Darwin and Oscar, believed in Wilton's vision and experience, investing in the largest farms, Las Brisas and La Macarena, so that the entire project would focus on understanding cultivars, improving seeds, while experimenting and learning through data collected in coffee processing and its conjunction with agronomy and adaptation to the land. 

It is noteworthy that these farms refrain from employing chemical methods to control rust. This includes the application of four fertilizations annually, with two of them being exclusively organic.

Geisha coffee originates from the Gori Gesha forest in Ethiopia, with plants first collected in the 1930s. It reached Costa Rica's Tropical Agricultural Research Centre (CATIE) in the 1950s and Panama in the 1960s, where it became legendary. The terms "Gesha" and "Geisha" are used interchangeably. Known for its juicy acidity, extreme sweetness, and floral notes, Geisha coffee reaches its peak quality when grown at high altitudes in well-fertilized soil.

This coffee was processed with one stage of washed anaerobic fermentation.

The meticulous processes applied to geisha beans commence with a rigorous selection, sterilization, and characterization of the cherries, followed by one phase of controlled anaerobic fermentation designed specifically for each variety and lot.

Granja Paraiso92 has been experimenting with natural coffee fermentation for several years and is a pioneer in Colombia for developing scalable protocols and controlled equipment. The technique and specific yeast strain they use are proprietary and not shared. After years of data collection and analysis, they are now focusing on using SPC (Yeast & Lab) Patent Starter cultures, developed exclusively for them in partnership with certified food laboratories. Several studies highlight the potential of fermentation to enhance the flavor and improve characteristics like acidity and body in coffee, as well as to create artisanal beverages with potential health benefits.

Another key factor in their coffee's success is custom drying equipment designed and refined by his team. This machine uses circulating air to dehumidify beans and allows temperature control after reducing humidity by 50%. It dehydrates beans efficiently while preserving volatile compounds and preventing embryo damage. The process is replicable and adheres to specific batch protocols, reducing energy consumption by 60% compared to standard Cisco machines. Traditional coffee drying methods are risky due to weather changes, which can ruin entire crops.

In the cup: So complex! Peach, hops, magnolia flowers, bubblegum sweetness and a mouth-watering white grape aftertaste and acidity. 

This coffee will benefit from rest after roasting, with peak flavor achieved between 10 to 13 days.

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