Producer: Cesar Buesaquillo Farm: Finca La Esmerelda Country: Colombia Region: Buenavista Elevation: 1800 MASL Varietal: Chiroso Process: Natural Taste: Blue jelly beans, cereal milk Cesar Buesaquillo, along with his wife Maria and son Kevin, manages La Esmeralda, a 6-hectare farm nestled at 1,800 meters above sea level in Buenavista, Quindio. The family purchased the land roughly 20 years ago, building on a legacy where Cesar’s parents worked as coffee pickers and farm managers. Inspired by those early visits to various farms, Cesar developed a deep passion for coffee that drives their operations today. While the transition from traditional commodity farming to specialty coffee presented challenges, Cesar successfully pivoted by planting unique varieties like Pink Bourbon and Gesha. He now focuses heavily on experimenting with processing methods, believing that quality must be the industry's future priority. This shift was significantly aided by importer Cofinet, whose technical advice on adapting to the farm's specific soil conditions was instrumental in their success. Beyond the fields, the farm offers stunning views shaded by trees, alongside other crops like plantain, banana, and avocado. In his downtime, Cesar enjoys relaxing on the patio with his family, sharing meals and coffee while taking in the beautiful landscape they have cultivated together. Chiroso Variety Rediscovered in Colombia in the early 2000s, Chiroso remains a rare, localised variety. While once thought to be a Bourbon regression, recent science links it to Ethiopian landraces, though anecdotal evidence of Bourbon seedlings reverting to Chiroso traits keeps the debate alive. Renowned for its distinct cup profile, Chiroso offers a more aromatic experience than Bourbon or Caturra, characterised by floral notes, bright acidity, and a delicate, tea-like body.
