Colombia La Macarena
Every year, around this time of year, we select exceptional small batches produced by outstanding coffee growers.
This 2025 selection includes SL28, Pink Bourbon, Geisha, and Bourbon Honey varieties.
Reserve your coffee now and be among the first to enjoy it. Shipping begins December 1st.
The Farm
In the mountains of Piendamó, Cauca, at an altitude of over 2,000 meters, lies La Macarena farm, owned by Wilton Benítez, a coffee grower with more than 25 years of experience and a leading figure in Colombian specialty coffee. Along with his other farm, Paraíso 92, Wilton has transformed these spaces into veritable agricultural laboratories where coffee tradition blends with scientific innovation.
His work focuses on meticulously designed processes: from classic washed methods to controlled anaerobic fermentations and techniques like thermal shock, which enhance sweetness, body, and aromatic complexity. This vision allows him to obtain coffees with unique profiles, featuring bright fruity notes, floral nuances, and a clean sweetness, recognized worldwide.
More than just farms, La Macarena and Paraíso 92 are examples of how passion, science, and tradition can converge to elevate Colombian coffee to its highest expression. On the other hand, El Paraíso 92 serves as the nerve center for its other two farms, producing more than 20 varieties of coffee using cutting-edge methods. The farm has a microbiology lab, a quality control lab, and a processing plant. The meticulous processes applied to the various coffees begin with: rigorous cherry selection, sterilization, and characterization; followed by the initial anaerobic fermentation phase. It’s worth noting that the number 92 refers to the 92 families hired each year for the harvest on their farms.
At Cafés el Magnífico, we were very fortunate to meet Wilton last year, where we had the great privilege of tasting together in our tasting lab. This year, we continue to feature their special lots this holiday season.
SL28
The SL28 is one of the most recognized Arabica coffee varieties worldwide. It was developed in Kenya in the 1930s by Scott Agricultural Laboratories (hence the initials SL), with the goal of obtaining high-quality plants adapted to local conditions.
It is characterized by its tall stature, drought resistance, but susceptibility to diseases such as coffee rust. Even so, it is highly valued for its cup profile: bright acidity, fruity complexity (citrus, red berries), and delicate floral notes, which have made it a benchmark in specialty and competition coffees.
The variety originated in Kenya and was adopted in other African and Latin American countries. In Colombia, it arrived through research projects and producers interested in diversifying and offering differentiated coffees, especially on high-altitude farms. Its cultivation expanded in regions such as Cauca, Nariño, Huila, and Tolima, where it found fertile volcanic soils and ideal microclimates to express its full potential. Today, the Colombian SL28 has become synonymous with very high quality micro-lots with intensely fruity and floral profiles.
Process Method
The ripe cherries are hand-picked and sorted by density and size to ensure uniformity. After this initial selection, they undergo sanitization with ozone and ultraviolet light, followed by a 90°C heat shock, which cleans, deactivates enzymes, and prepares the beans for fermentation.
The process continues with a 48-hour anaerobic fermentation in bioreactors, inoculated with Saccharomyces pastorianus yeast, which contributes complexity, fruity notes, and hints of caramel. After pulping, a second 72-hour fermentation takes place, using the juices from the first fermentation to enhance complexity.
Finally, a second heat shock is applied, and the coffee is dried in a controlled system at 35°C for 46 hours, preserving volatile compounds and ensuring a clean cup.
The result is a coffee with great sweetness, a complex fruity profile, and delicate buttery and caramel notes.
Origin
According to the boundaries established in the application for Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) recognition for Cauca Coffee, coffee under this geographical indication is produced in 29 municipalities, at an average altitude of 1,758 meters above sea level, though this can extend up to 2,100 meters above sea level. The region has a rainy season and homogeneous volcanic soils.
Perhaps the only climatic characteristic that is subject to greater variability in this region, compared to any other coffee-growing region in Colombia, is the daily temperature range: it fluctuates between 11°C and 18°C. These temperature variations between day and night are essential to understanding the quality of Cauca Coffee. The low nighttime temperatures, associated with relatively high altitudes, slow the ripening process of the coffee bean, resulting in higher levels of acidity and very distinctive sweet notes.
56 € – 224 €
This item will be available 01/12/2025. Free shipping from €40 purchase