Colombia — Castillo (Sugar Cane Decaf)

Tastes Like — 🍫 Chocolate • 🎋 Sugar Cane • 🍇 Dry Fruits

DETAILS

• Origin: Chinchiná, Caldas, Colombia
• Varietal: Castillo
• Process: Sugar Cane Decaf (ethyl acetate)
• Altitude: 1,400–1,700 masl
• Harvest: Final stage of the regional crop
• Roast Profile: Espresso or Filter

INTRO
A decaf built on selected high-altitude coffees with vibrant acidity and dense body, chosen to balance the pronounced sweetness typical of decaffeination. Harvested at the end of the regional crop for a fresh, clean, complex, and exceptionally well-balanced cup. In the cup: chocolate, sugar cane, and dry fruits.

THE PRODUCER
This lot comes from Chinchiná in Caldas, Colombia, at 1,400–1,700 masl. After an extensive R&D process aimed at eliminating residual flavours and improving the physical appearance of the bean, Three Marks developed it using a specific milling protocol designed for decaffeination. The careful selection of the raw material was the cornerstone of the project.

THE PROCESS
The decaffeination uses high-mountain spring water and ethyl acetate extracted from sugar cane molasses, a selective solvent for caffeine that occurs naturally in fruits such as bananas. It has two drawbacks: it is highly flammable and has a naturally sweet, characteristic aroma, so handling requires great care, which raises production costs and can sometimes leave a slightly different aroma and a subtle alteration in flavour. The method guarantees a minimum of 97% caffeine removal and a maximum residual solvent content of 20 ppm.

The selective sugar cane ethyl acetate method, paired with a milling protocol built for decaf, is the defining combination. It preserves a clean, balanced cup with chocolate and sugar cane sweetness.

THE CUP
Clean and balanced: chocolate leads, with a sugar cane sweetness and a dry fruit depth.

Flavour Notes
🍫 Chocolate 🎋 Sugar Cane 🍇 Dry Fruits