The third release of this beautiful coffee, named after Marcelino, the farmer who discovered it on his farm. This particular strain is a mystery—recently revealed to be a natural genetic mutation. It has always been a favourite at the roastery, and for good reason: it tastes wonderfully delicate, with floral and tropical notes. Best brewed as a filter or in a cafetière to fully showcase its complex character.
Body
Acidity
Tasting notes
Roast level
Marcelino Chinguel is a second-generation coffee farmer who, together with his wife Grimanes, owns a six-hectare farm in La Coipa. The farm sits at 1,800–1,900 masl and benefits from organic-matter-rich soils and a cool, humid climate, ideal for producing high-quality coffee. Marcelino grows a single variety across the entire farm: Marshell.
The farm is managed by Marcelino and Grimanes with permanent staff working year-round to carry out daily farm activities. All weeding is done manually, and fertilisation combines chemical fertilisers with organic manures.
Marshell is a variety that remains poorly understood, both in terms of its origins and genetic makeup. It was first identified on Marcelino’s farm in 2017 and initially stood out for its high productivity and strong resistance to coffee leaf rust—two crucial traits for farmers in the region.
Marcelino sent samples to a cooperative he was working with at the time to assess cup quality, which was just beginning to influence pricing in the local market. The results were extremely positive, scoring significantly higher than his Caturra.
Following this, Marcelino made the decision to replant his entire farm with Marshell, and today he grows no other variety.
Since discovering Marshell, Marcelino, Grimanes, and their children Franklin and Jhon have competed in the Cup of Excellence, winning in 2019 and placing in the top 10 almost every year since.
Several genetic analyses have been carried out on Marshell, including a study by Christophe Montagnon of R2D Vision. Leaf samples—both green tip (far more common in this variety) and bronze tip—were personally collected by Simon from Chacra Coffee and sent for analysis. Both samples returned exact genetic matches to Costa Rica 95, a Catimor variety not typically associated with high cup quality.
This result is particularly surprising, as many producers in Jaén grow Costa Rica 95 at similar altitudes and under comparable conditions. Chacra Coffee has cupped coffees from these farms, none of which resemble Marcelino’s coffee, with most failing to qualify as specialty grade. Morphologically, Marshell also differs from Costa Rica 95, showing long branches, large internode spacing, and cherry clusters reminiscent of Geisha. New growth is predominantly green, whereas Costa Rica 95 typically displays bronze tips.
Regardless of its genetic classification, Marshell has proven exceptionally well adapted to Peruvian soils and has gained popularity in recent years for good reason.
In 2021, Marcelino and his family began producing natural-process coffees after observing how well Marshell performed with this method and how effectively it retained quality in dry cherry form. Only fully ripe cherries are harvested, with strict picking standards. The cherries are washed and floated before being dried on raised beds for 30–40 days, depending on weather conditions. Once dried, the coffee is bagged and rested for two weeks before being delivered to Chacra Coffee’s warehouse, where it is cupped and stored in GrainPro bags.
Always the best choice. Grind at home for maximum freshness and full control over your coffee.
Our coarsest grind. Ideal for Cafetiere, Chemex, Cold Brew, and Batch Brew.
Works well for cone brewers like V60, and flat-bottom brewers like Kalita other pour-over brewers.
A finer grind suited to Moka pots, AeroPress, and most domestic espresso machines with pressurised baskets.
Very fine and intended for commercial espresso machines. For best results, grinding fresh is recommended.
