MARCELINO CHINGUEL, Marshell Natural

Marcelino Chinguel is a second generation coffee farmer who, along with his wife, Grimanes, owns a six hectare farm in La Coipa where they grow the Marshell variety exclusively. The farm sits at an altitude of 1,800 to 1,900 masl and has soils rich in organic matter, as well as a relatively cool, humid climate, ideal for producing quality coffee. Marcelino and Grimanes manage the farm with year round permanent staff who carry out the day to day work. The farm is manually weeded and fertilised with a combination of chemical fertilisers and manure.

Marshell is a variety whose origins and genetics remain poorly understood. It was discovered on Marcelino's farm in 2017, initially valued for its high productivity and resistance to coffee leaf rust, both critical traits for farmers. Marcelino sent samples to a cooperative he worked with at the time, curious whether the cup quality held up too, since cup quality was just beginning to factor into local market pricing, with small premiums paid for it. The results came back considerably higher than even his caturra, and Marcelino has since replanted his entire farm with the variety, growing nothing else.

Since that discovery, Marcelino, his wife Grimanes, and their children Franklin and Jhon have competed in the Cup of Excellence, winning in 2019 and placing in the top 10 nearly every year since.

The variety has undergone several genetic analyses, including one by Christophe Montagnon of R2D Vision, using leaf samples personally collected by Simon of Chacra Coffee from selected plants. Both green-tip samples (the more common form in this variety) and bronze-tip samples were tested, and both matched Costa Rica 95, a Catimor not typically known for quality. This is puzzling: many producers in Jaén grow Costa Rica 95 at similar altitudes and growing conditions to La Lucuma, and Chacra's cuppings from those farms show nothing comparable to Marcelino's coffee, most don't even qualify as specialty grade. The plant's physical form adds to the mystery, since it bears little resemblance to a Catimor, let alone Costa Rica 95: long branches, geisha-like cherry clusters, wide internode spacing, and new growth that is almost entirely green rather than the bronze typical of CR95.

Whatever its genetic identity, the variety is well suited to Peruvian soils and has become increasingly popular in recent years, deservedly so.

Marcelino and his family began producing naturals in 2021, after finding the variety performed well with this method and held its quality longer in dry cherry. Ripe cherries are hand-picked to Marcelino's strict standards, washed and floated, then spread on raised beds to dry for 30 to 40 days depending on the weather. Once dry, the coffee is bagged and rested for two weeks before delivery to Chacra Coffee's warehouse, where it is cupped and stored in GrainPro bags.

Marshell (also spelled Marshall) is a relatively young, disease-resistant coffee variety discovered around 1997 by the Grimanés Morales Lizana coffee-growing family in San Ignacio, Cajamarca, Peru, its name a blend of the family's own. Though long described as a natural Bourbon mutation, some genetic evaluations point to it instead being a Catimor (Costa Rica 95) cultivar. It grows best at high altitudes of 1,650–2,000 meters and is notably resilient to coffee leaf rust and other fungal diseases.

The variety has earned strong recognition for cup quality, including high scores in Cup of Excellence competitions. Its flavour profile is aromatic and refined, typically showing bright, complex notes like caramel, stone fruit, and cola spice, with additional nuances of candied chestnut, tropical fruit (white grape or pomegranate), and marzipan depending on roast and processing.

The dry/natural process is the oldest and simplest method of preparing green coffee. Well-suited to environments with limited water access and hot climates, this process typically uses no water and requires no specialised equipment.

After harvesting, coffee cherries are dried until they reach about 20% moisture content. They're then usually rested for a few weeks in bags before being sent to a mill for hulling and export preparation.

The cherries can be dried on large patios or raised African beds, large trays with a mesh base that allow increased airflow for even drying. Best practices include keeping the drying coffee in shade during the hottest parts of the day and avoiding re-wetting by rain or condensation. Regular turning and good ventilation are also crucial to prevent mould formation.

To avoid defective seeds and sour fermentation off-flavours, it's best to sort the harvested cherries during the initial drying stage when under-ripe, over-ripe, and damaged cherries are easily spotted. After just a couple of days, the cherries turn a dark red-brown colour before becoming black, making it impossible to visually identify problem cherries.

Coffee begins fermenting from the moment it's picked and continues while there's enough moisture and high temperatures, conditions that favour microbial growth. This uncontrolled fermentation leads to the development of wild, fruity flavours and an increased perception of sweetness and body.