Origin Story

This washed Castillo lot was produced by 13 farmers at an elevation of 1,6o0 to 2,000 MASL in the acclaimed region of Nariño in southwestern Colombia. The farmers selectively picked coffee cherries in the fields, floated them to remove insect damaged cherries, and then stored them in wooden hoppers or a plastic tank for 12 to 14 hours. The cherries then passed through the traditional washed process -- after pulping the cherries, the coffee was fermented for 24 to 48 hours (depending on the temperature outside) so that the mucilage could be easily washed off. The coffee was then dried on patios or in parabolic dryers for 15 to 21 days.

The Castillo variety is relatively new -- it was developed by the Colombia National Coffee Research Center, Cenicafé, and released to Colombian farmers in 2005. This variety's popularity has grown quickly due to its resistance to coffee leaf rust, a crippling fungus that spreads when it rains. Intelligentsia was a charter member of the Advisory Council for the Borderlands project which helped farmers validate that the quality of the new Castillo variety was similar to the Caturra variety which it is often replacing.

As always, our roasting approach to this coffee is to maximize sweetness and fruit acids. A great starting point for your dial-in is: 18 gram in / 45 grams out / 35 seconds.

Sensory

Our latest single origin espresso release from Colombia provides a fruity and juicy alternative to our Black Cat Classic.

  • Country Colombia
  • Flavor Profile Caramel + Stone Fruit

The details

  • Country Colombia

How To Brew

We recommend starting with a 1:18 coffee-to-water ratio, which provides an excellent total extraction level and maximizes flavor pulled out of the ground coffee. For our single origin coffees we recommend a pour over method either on a Chemex, V60 or Kalita Wave on a 5 or 6 grind setting if you are ordering from intelligentsia.com.

Recommended Method Pour Over

  1. 01.
    Boil Water 205 - 212 F
  2. 02.
    Weigh Coffee 1g of coffee per 18g of water
  3. 03.
    Drop In Filter Add filter to equipment
  4. 04.
    Grind Coffee Grind coffee and add to filter
  5. 05.
    Add Water Add water in stages
  6. 06.
    Remove Filter Enjoy your coffee!
Image of pour over demonstration
    • Image of two growers hugging in field
      Image of two growers hugging in field
    • Image of the sky and mountains landscape
      Image of the sky and mountains landscape
    • Image of growers sorting coffee beans
      Image of growers sorting coffee beans

    Why We're Different

    • Intelligentsia coffee buyers travel year-round working with a network of farmers. From the farm, coffee arrives at the roasting works in Chicago, where coffee professionals cup, grade, and release over 50 single-origins and blends annually.

    • Intelligentsia Direct Trade means partnering with people who obsess about quality as much as we do, and building meaningful relationships with farmers. Today, the Intelligentsia Direct Trade community includes more than 50 partners in 14 countries.

    • A quarter-century of obsession with quality, more than 15 years of sourcing great coffee the right way, and an authoritative point of view on how to elevate coffee make Intelligentsia a trusted partner on your coffee journey.

12oz of Colombia San Pedro de Cartago
Colombia San Pedro de Cartago