Castillo
Strawberry Washed
Santa Monica

Tastes Like: Strawberry, Tropical, Custard

Origin: Finca Santa Monica, Quindio, Colombia

Variety: Castillo

Producer: Felipe Arcila

Elevation: 1,450-1,500 masl

Process:  Washed Co-ferment with Strawberry

Farm and Producer

Santa Mónica is an Arcila-family farm near Armenia in Quindío, Colombia. Coffee grows at 1,450–1,500 meters in soils containing volcanic ash. The family prepares Castillo in a range of separate fermentation lots, including this strawberry co-fermented washed selection.

Variety

Castillo was developed by Cenicafé in Colombia from Caturra and Timor Hybrid material. Its breeding emphasizes adaptation, productivity, and resistance to coffee leaf rust, while retaining the potential to produce quality coffee under careful cultivation and processing.

Processing

For this lot, the process is Washed Co-ferment with Strawberry. Co-fermentation introduces the named additional ingredient during processing, where it interacts with the coffee and fermentation environment. This can change aromatic expression and texture; the final cup also depends on drying and roasting.

In washed processing, the fruit pulp and remaining mucilage are removed before the coffee is dried. This approach often emphasizes a defined structure and separation of flavors, while fermentation and drying choices still influence the result.