San Sebastián - Washed Colombian Caturra / Castillo

The Power of Community

This particular coffee is a fantastic example of what happens when local smallholders agglomerate together to produce something special. San Sebastián is not a single farm - the coffee is produced by the Paez, indigenous smallholder growers local to Inzá municipality. Typically, each smallholder cultivates on small, family-operated farms of around 0.5–1.5 hectares. Each farm holder cultivates almost exclusively Caturra and Castillo.

Inzá is part of the Tierradentro region located on the western side of Cauca. The area sits on the Macizo Colombiano, which is a high altitude plateau in the far northern tail end of the Andes, known for its mineral-rich volcanic soils, abundant water resources and consistent climate conditions. In our opinion, this particular municipality has an incredible natural terroir expression of bright red fruits, caramel and milk chocolate - and with this particular coffee, if you really nail the brew, you might also pull out a little apricot and a balanced orange-like acidity.

Cauca is a coffee-producing region in the southwest of Colombia. Sitting high on the volcanic plateau of the Northern Andes and moderated by the cool, stable climate created by its proximity to the Pacific Ocean, Cauca benefits from one of the world's most remarkable natural terroirs for growing coffee.

• 1,700–2,350 MASL growing regions
• 1,500–2,000 mm annual rainfall
• Rich volcanic soils
• 17–23°C year-round temperatures

This combination of temperature stability, consistent rainfall and high altitude results in a slower maturation of the coffee cherries. This slower development can contribute to sweetness and complexity in the cup.

Washed processing is widely used in Colombia. It tends to let the coffee’s variety and growing conditions come through clearly, with less influence from the fruit during drying than in natural processing.

In a typical washed process, producers remove the cherry skin, then ferment and wash the coffee to remove its sticky mucilage before drying it. The exact fermentation and drying methods vary between producers.

If you'd like to learn more, you can enjoy our extremely comprehensive coffee processing guide, which details all of the coffee processes that you're likely to encounter.

For a broader look at the country’s growing regions and varieties, read our guide to Colombian coffee cultivation and harvest.

San Sebastián makes a sweet, approachable filter coffee and a lively espresso that stands up beautifully to milk.

• Rest window: Follow the recommended 20–38 days off roast for the best clarity and balance.
• Filter brewing: Start with a 1:16–1:17 ratio and a medium-fine grind, adjusting to balance its red berry sweetness and gentle orange-like acidity.
• Espresso: Start with a longer ratio, such as 1:2.2–1:2.4, to showcase its red fruit character, caramel sweetness and milk chocolate finish. Making milk drinks? Here’s what temperature a flat white should be. Want to pour better latte art too? Read UK Latte Art Champion Ben Lewis’s tips.
• Starting recipe: Orea V4, 15.5 g coffee, 250 g water, target brew time of approximately 2:20.

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