Jairo Arcila Santa Monica Washed Castillo (Wine Yeast / Strawberry)

This is not a traditional Colombian Castillo profile. Expect something much more fruit-forward, this microlot comes from Finca Santa Monica in Quindío, Colombia, produced by Jairo Arcila, a third-generation coffee producer. The lot is 100% Castillo, grown around 1,450–1,500 meters. What makes it really interesting is the fermentation. The coffee cherries undergo roughly 72 hours of dry anaerobic fermentation with strawberries and wine yeast. After fermentation, the cherries are pulped and dried on raised beds, with strawberries also used during the drying stage in some versions of the lot. Very limited. Very special. Don’t wait too long!