Features
Bean Type:Arabica (Caturra and Castillo)
Harvest Time:October - February
Processing Process:Washed, sun-dried
Tasting Notes:Milk Chocolate, Stone Fruits, Caramel
Aroma (Smell):Sweet fruits, chocolate
Body:High
Altitude:1520-1650 m
Acidity:Medium-High
Taste:The taste begins with chocolate and caramel flavors, which spread throughout the mouth with the effect of the high body, leaving a trail of stone fruit on the palate after the sip. Acidity becomes more pronounced when brewed with espresso.
The Andes Mountains pass through the Huila region of Colombia, home to the Nevado del Huila volcano. The mineral-rich soil and microclimates that have developed over time contribute significantly to the fruity, complex, and rich, full-bodied cup profile.
This coffee, made from beans grown in the Labayos Valley at an altitude of 1300-1800 m, includes the Caturra and Castillo varietals.
Castillo, Colombia, Tabi, and Caturra are arguably the most commonly grown coffee varietals in the region. As Colombia's third-largest exporting country, coffee research has been supported by the government for many years. Due to the region's climate and altitude, rust, the region's greatest enemy, posed a serious threat. With the efforts of large farms and government support, efforts to create rust-resistant hybrid varieties gained momentum after the 1960s.
These studies have led to the creation of many new coffee varieties unique to Colombia. Castillo, Colombia, Caturra, and Tabi, hybrids of Catura, Typica, and Bourbon, are resistant to rust. In blind taste tests, these varieties were evaluated on par with Caturra, Typica, and Bourbon. These varieties, created without compromising flavor, are productive, and resilient, and are unique to the Colombian region.
Detailed Information
The Caturra variety is known for its small tree size and green leaves. Therefore, it is easier to harvest than other varieties at higher altitudes. It reaches its maximum flavor when grown above 1500 meters. It is well-suited to growing in full sun, making it an ideal match for Colombia's sun-drenched soils. Castillo, which has the same flavor spectrum but increased resistance to rust, shares the same tree structure as Caturra.
The Huila region is one of Colombia's most productive regions. Responsible for 30 of Colombia's production, the region's climate is quite diverse and varies throughout the year. This climate lends a variety of flavors to coffee. Regardless of the tasting notes, when the taster combines complex and diverse flavors with their own taste history, a wide variety of tastes emerges. In fact, owners of major coffee producers from around the world who attended an event held in the region (Mejor de Huila) noted the following distinct flavors in their tasting notes: toasted bread, sweet cookies, pineapple, citrus, lemon, raisins, cherries, various flowers. Because this coffee evokes such a complex sensation, it is also beloved by roasters, and each roaster's skill allows it to be uniquely flavored.
Due to the abundant mountain water in the region, the washing process is carried out with mountain water and the coffee is laid out at a certain angle on raised platforms to dry.