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Colombia - Hilario Castrillon

Colombia - Hilario Castrillon

Syrupy black cherry and juicy plum are complemented by complex acidity, chamomile-like florals, and a lingering milk chocolate finish.

$22.00 USD
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Black and white photo of La Celia town shot from mountains above

Technical Info

Producer: Hilario Castrillon

Region: La Celia, Risaralda, Colombia

Harvest: Spring 2026

Varietal(s): Castillo

Process: Semi-washed

Altitude: 1550 masl

Sourcing Partner: La Real Expedición Botánica

Importer: Bold Bean 

Agrton Gourmet Color: 108 (light)

Roasters Cupping Score: 87.5

Recommended Resting Time: 2-3 weeks
black and white photo of coffee farms on a mountain side

Coffee Story

Risaralda sits at the heart of Colombia’s traditional Coffee Axis and has long been an important center of the country’s coffee industry. The region is known for its high productivity and large volumes of coffee, but historically less so for the kind of distinctive, highly differentiated lots that have brought greater attention to other parts of Colombia. In La Celia, Hilario Castrillón and his family are showing another side of the region.

Coffee at the Castrillón family’s farm, La Emma, is very much a family effort. Hilario’s son, Anderson, describes the quality they have achieved not as the result of luck or a single breakthrough, but of years spent working to improve their coffee. Along the way, Anderson trained as both a cupper and roaster, initially working with Agrosolidaria, a producer association in La Celia, while continuing to work alongside his family on their farm.

That experience eventually connected Anderson with LaREB, our close sourcing partner in Colombia. Today, he works with LaREB as a cupper and roaster while also supplying coffee produced by his family. It’s a relationship Anderson values because the people behind LaREB are producers themselves and understand firsthand the work and challenges involved in producing exceptional coffee. That shared experience has allowed Anderson to continue developing professionally without separating himself from La Emma or his family’s work as coffee producers.
Anderson Castrillon roasting coffee

Hilario’s coffee stood out initially for its sweetness and floral character, but since arriving it has developed into something even more complex. The acidity is bright and pronounced, with a slightly wild, expressive quality that gives the coffee remarkable vibrancy and depth. For a region better known for the volume of coffee it produces, Hilario and his family offer a compelling look at what else Risaralda is capable of.

*photo: Anderson Castrillón roasting coffee in the LaREB roastery and lab. Dosquebradas, Risaralda, Colombia. Photo Credit: Herbert Peñaloza Correa

Varietal

Castillo was developed in Colombia by Cenicafé and released in 2005 as a response to coffee leaf rust, one of the most damaging diseases affecting coffee production. A cross between Caturra and the Timor Hybrid, it was selected to combine disease resistance and high productivity with strong cup quality.

Today, Castillo is widely planted throughout Colombia and has become an important part of the country's coffee production. While it has sometimes been overlooked in specialty coffee in favor of varieties like Caturra, Pink Bourbon and Gesha, exceptional Castillo lots can be remarkably complex and expressive. Hilario Castrillón's coffee is a great example, showing pronounced sweetness, floral aromatics and bright acidity alongside a slightly wild character that makes the cup particularly distinctive.

Processing

Hilario uses a fed-batch, semi-washed process, combining cherries harvested over two consecutive days before fermenting them whole for 48 hours in a closed container. After fermentation, the coffee is depulped and lightly washed, leaving some mucilage intact rather than removing it completely.

The coffee is then dried slowly in a greenhouse for more than 20 days. The combination of whole-cherry fermentation, minimal washing and extended drying contributes to the coffee’s complex, fruit-driven character and lively acidity while maintaining excellent clarity.

Terroir

La Celia sits along the western edge of Risaralda in Colombia’s Cordillera Occidental, an area where coffee farms occupy a wide range of elevations and growing conditions. The region receives abundant rainfall throughout the year, with fertile Andean soils and a climate well suited to consistent coffee production.

These conditions have helped make Risaralda one of Colombia’s most productive coffee departments. In La Celia, however, variations in elevation, exposure and farm management can also create the conditions for coffees with considerably more complexity. Hilario’s lot is a great example, with pronounced acidity, floral aromatics and a wilder, more expressive character than we typically associate with the region.