VARIETY: Caturra

PROCESS: Semi-Washed (Anaerobic)

Amaretto, chocolate, cherry, red apple, vanilla, and citric acidity – a rich, dessert like cup with a lively fruit character and smooth sweetness.

FARMER: Huver Castillo

FARM: El Paseo

REGION: Nariño, Colombia

MUNICIPALITY: Buesaco

ALTITUDE: 1,750–1,950 masl

Huver Castillo is a third-generation coffee grower, though his path to coffee has been unconventional. Until 2015, he worked as a maths teacher in Nariño. Eventually, he returned to his family’s farm, El Paseo, located high in the hills above Buesaco. The farm has been in the family for over 20 years and benefits from native shade trees, volcanic soil, and an ideal climate for growing high quality coffee.

This innovative lot of Caturra is processed using a detailed semi washed method. It begins with 60 hours of aerobic fermentation in concrete tanks, during which lower quality cherries are removed. The coffee is then depulped and placed into sealed stainless steel tanks for anaerobic fermentation, with pH levels monitored daily.

Once the pH reaches 4.5, Huver introduces a lactic acid culture made from cooked sugarcane and passion fruit, a technique he has developed over the past four years to create a distinctive flavour profile. After fermentation, the coffee is dried in the sun for around 20 days, then rested in GrainPro bags for a further 20 days before milling, ensuring stability and clarity in the cup.

This is a standout example of precision and creativity in processing – a vibrant, expressive coffee that blends scientific approach with the soul of a small family farm.