Where did the coffee bean originate in the case of Chiroso?

Chiroso, the variety that took the top price in the BOP multi-variety category at $488 per kilogram, comes from Urrao in Antioquia, Colombia. Local farmers found a coffee tree that looked like Caturra but carried Bourbon-like beans, and named it Chiroso, meaning uneven, for its irregular leaf arrangement. Genetic testing in 2021 traced its lineage to an Ethiopian landrace.

Urrao sits at 1,800 to 2,200 meters on the edge of Colombia's western mountain range, with an average temperature near 19°C, steady humidity, and abundant water. Those conditions make the coffee tree slow to mature and dense in flavor. The variety was first planted for cold tolerance and yield, and is now noted for floral aroma, fruity notes, and complex acidity.

Chiroso has been making waves in competitions like LOD and COE in recent years, and this year it secured the highest price in the multi-variety category at the BOP global auction at $488 per kilogram. This variety originates from Urrao in Antioquia, Colombia. The plant resembles Caturra in appearance, but its beans are closer to Bourbon, and it gets its name from its irregular leaf arrangement. It was once mistaken for a natural mutation of Caturra or Bourbon, until 2021 when COE organizers confirmed through genetic testing that its lineage is an Ethiopian landrace. This article will outline Chiroso's discovery site, terroir conditions, flavor profile, and naming history to help you fully understand this highly anticipated coffee.

Chiroso has placed in past LOD (Land of Diversity) and COE (Cup of Excellence) competitions, and this year it achieved the highest price in the multi-variety category at the BOP global auction, at $488 per kilogram.

This bean variety originates from Colombia, but it was not bred by the Colombian National Coffee Research Center. It was discovered in Urrao, Antioquia, in northern Colombia.

Antioquia is where coffee first took root in Colombia, located on the western slope of the central Andes. Urrao is situated on the edge of the western mountain range, at an altitude of 1,800 to 2,200 meters, with an average annual temperature of 19°C, abundant water resources, and balanced humidity. The excellent microclimate gives the coffee produced in this region a more distinctive flavor.

The farm where Chiroso was discovered originally grew traditional coffee varieties like Caturra, but local farmers noticed a coffee tree that looked somewhat like a Caturra tree in appearance, while its beans resembled Bourbon. They named this special coffee tree Chiroso, meaning "uneven," because its leaves were arranged irregularly, like a ragged vagrant.

Chiroso coffee tree

The cultivation altitude in Urrao is relatively high, so the growing temperatures are lower. Initially, this variety was planted because it could withstand cold climates and had high yields; now, it is highly regarded and praised for its complex floral aroma and rich flavor characteristics.

Chiroso beans are somewhat pointed and elongated, with distinct floral and fruity notes and complex acidity. Industry evaluations compare its flavor to Geisha, with a fuller body than Geisha. During cupping, Front Street Coffee also noted that this bean has layered floral notes, accompanied by citrus and tropical fruit tones. The acidity on the palate is bright but not sharp, and the aftertaste is clean and lingering. Overall, it indeed bears some resemblance to Geisha, but with a more solid body.

Chiroso green beans with mucilage

In earlier years, farmers always mistook it for a natural mutation of Caturra or Bourbon, and even entered it in competitions under the name "Caturra," which is why it was sometimes called Caturra Chiroso. In the 2021 COE competition, the organizers clarified this variety, sending all competing coffees for genetic testing for the first time, and published an investigation confirming that Chiroso coffee is classified in the "Ethiopian landrace" category.

Related article investigating Chiroso's genetics

The article "Research on Arabica Genetics" also mentioned that scientists, through genetic comparison, found that Chiroso originally came from Ethiopia. Chiroso's lineage was finally determined: it is an Ethiopian native variety grown in Colombia, not a mutation of Caturra. Front Street Coffee believes that it is precisely this unique Ethiopian lineage that gives Chiroso its complex flavor combining floral and fruity notes, and keeps it in high demand in the international auction market.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.