Kolumbien Santa Bárbara Castillo – Oxidation Washed

Ripe cherry, red plum, and red fruit unfold across a clean, smooth, and layered cup. Oxidative fermentation adds depth and complexity while preserving the precision associated with washed coffee.

This Castillo achieves an interesting balance between clarity and fruit expression. It avoids the heavily fermented character of some experimental processes, instead offering clearly defined fruit, a rounded texture, and several layers that become increasingly noticeable as the cup cools.

Flavor Profile

• Main notes: red fruit, cherry, and red plum
• Acidity: medium to high, juicy, and well integrated
• Body: medium, smooth, and rounded
• Aftertaste: long, sweet, and fruit-driven
• Overall profile: clean, complex, smooth, and layered

Cherry provides a sweet and vibrant opening. Red plum introduces deeper, riper fruit, while red berries reinforce the cup’s juiciness and brightness. As the coffee cools, the profile gains greater separation and reveals increasingly complex layers.

Origin and Processing

This coffee comes from Finca Santa Bárbara / Área 18, located in La Marquesa, Timbío, Cauca, Colombia. The coffee trees grow at 1,820 m.a.s.l., in a mountainous area where cool temperatures support gradual cherry maturation.

The Castillo variety is widely cultivated in Colombia because of its adaptability and resilience. When fully ripe cherries, precise sorting, and controlled fermentation are combined, it can produce sweet, fruit-driven, and highly complex cups.

Processing begins with 24 hours of whole-cherry fermentation. The cherries are then depulped, and the coffee undergoes a further 48 hours of Oxidation Washed fermentation inside a bioreactor.

During this stage, oxygen levels, temperature, and environmental conditions are carefully controlled to encourage the activity of naturally occurring yeasts. This enhances floral and fruit aromatics while preserving the clean, vibrant character of a washed profile.

The coffee is then thoroughly washed before drying. The result is a clean and structured cup with greater depth and more aromatic layers than a conventional washed coffee.

Why You’ll Love It

• Clearly defined red fruit: cherry, red plum, and red berries
• Controlled complexity: expressive fermentation without losing clarity
• Smooth texture: rounded and pleasant without heaviness
• Evolving cup: reveals additional aromatic layers as it cools

Ideal for

• V60: highlights cherry, juicy acidity, and clarity
• Origami: produces an aromatic, lively, and well-separated cup
• Chemex: enhances cleanliness and delicate red-fruit character
• AeroPress: adds body and sweetness while retaining definition
• Modern espresso: for a concentrated, fruit-driven, and balanced extraction
• Cupping or tasting: ideal for observing its different aromatic layers

Technical Details

• Origin: Colombia
• Region: La Marquesa, Timbío, Cauca
• Farm: Finca Santa Bárbara
• Processing centre: Área 18
• Species: Arabica
• Variety: Castillo
• Processing: Oxidation Washed
• Initial fermentation: 24 hours as whole cherries
• Second fermentation: 48 hours in a bioreactor with controlled oxidation
• Altitude: 1,820 m.a.s.l.
• SCA score: 87
• Tasting notes: red fruit, cherry, and red plum
• Profile: clean, complex, smooth, juicy, and layered

Summary

A clean and expressive Colombian Castillo with cherry, red plum, and red fruit. Its two-stage fermentation and controlled oxidation create a smooth, complex, and structured cup particularly suited to filter brewing, AeroPress, and modern espresso.