Story
Quindío Region
Quindío region is located in western Colombia and it borders Valle del Cauca, Tolima, and Risaralda regions. Quindío became an official department in 1966, after previously being part of the Caldas Department. Its establishment marked a significant step in its administrative development.
Before Spanish colonization, the area was home to the Quimbaya people, an indigenous group known for their advanced gold craftsmanship. Their creations reflected a high level of artistic and cultural development, contributing to the historical richness of the region.
Luz Helena Salazar and Finca Maracay
Luz Helena grew up in the town of Armenia, Quindío region and has been producing coffee for the last 20 years as a proud owner of Finca Maracay. Before starting the farm, Luz worked as a dry mill manager.
Her passion for coffee was at first influenced by her husband Jairo Arcila. Listening to all those stories, she wanted to get more involved in the coffee growing. With his support, she slowly started to learn the basics and important steps she had to take in order to produce high-quality coffees. With the further support from Cofinet, Luz has been able to improve her farm practices and focus on producing the best cherries she can.
When she’s not working at the farm, she enjoys spending time with her friends and being part of local support groups for vulnerable people.
Processing
Once ripe, the cherries are processed by Cofinet at their processing station, La Pradera. This particular cherries was exposed to a dry anoxic fermentation period of 72 hours with the pulp on. During this fermentation stage, lulo fruits and wine yeast were added.
The cherries were then pulped and placed to dry on raised beds for an average of 18 days until the ideal moisture content was achieved. This microlot consists of the Castillo variety which was developed by Federación Nacional de Cafeteros.