Located in Urrao, Antioquia, Colombia, the region has become increasingly recognized in the specialty coffee industry in recent years. Its mountainous landscape features steep slopes and high-altitude coffee farms, where the cooler growing conditions provide an environment for coffee cherries to develop a diverse range of flavor characteristics.

The Las Perlitas Series brings together micro-lots produced by multiple smallholder farmers in the region. Since individual farms often produce quantities too small to form independent export lots, this collaborative approach combines coffees from different producers, allowing these small-scale yet promising lots to reach the international specialty coffee market.

One of the defining characteristics of this series is the diversity of growing environments and farming practices among its producers. Through careful lot selection and cupping evaluations, each micro-lot is assessed for its individual flavor profile. Grown at elevations of approximately 1,900–2,300 meters above sea level, these coffees benefit from the high-altitude environment and attentive production practices, offering the potential for vibrant acidity, well-rounded sweetness, and delicate aromatics.

Chiroso has gained recognition for its distinctive and refined flavor potential. Depending on growing conditions, cherry ripeness, and processing methods, its cup profile may feature white floral or jasmine-like aromatics, stone fruit notes, bright citrus-like acidity, and honey-like sweetness. Some lots also exhibit a silky mouthfeel and a well-developed flavor complexity.

These characteristics have helped Chiroso gain increasing recognition in specialty coffee competitions and the wider market, offering another exciting direction for exploring the diversity of Colombian coffee varieties.

The Washed Process is one of the most widely used coffee processing methods. After harvesting, coffee cherries are typically sorted through flotation or other methods to remove defective fruit. The cherries are then depulped to remove the skin and pulp, followed by fermentation, washing, and finally drying to an appropriate moisture content, according to the producer's processing protocol.

During fermentation, the mucilage attached to the parchment is broken down, making it easier to remove during washing. Subsequent washing and drying are also essential steps in maintaining green coffee quality.

Compared with the Natural Process, in which coffee cherries are dried with their fruit intact, the Washed Process often produces a cleaner and more defined cup profile, allowing acidity, delicate aromatics, and individual flavor characteristics to stand out more clearly.

For a variety like Chiroso, known for its potential floral and fruity characteristics, the Washed Process offers an opportunity to highlight the variety's inherent qualities and the influence of its growing environment. The result can be a cup with greater clarity, delicacy, and flavor complexity.

The Las Perlitas Series represents the spirit of smallholder micro-lot production. Combined with the high-altitude growing conditions of Urrao, the distinctive characteristics of the Chiroso variety, and the clarity offered by the Washed Process, these elements come together to create a Colombian coffee well worth exploring and savoring.