Wilmer Cubillos Castillo Natural

Finca El Rosal sits in El Rosario, Acevedo, Huila, at 1,650 meters above sea level across 10.5 hectares, an altitude that creates the warm days and cool nights that build dense, sweet cherry. Wilmer Cubillos purchased the farm in 2006 and lives there with his wife and youngest son, while his two older children have built their own lives and careers outside the farm. A first-generation coffee farmer, Wilmer's enthusiasm for the craft of cultivating and processing coffee is visible in every aspect of his operation. His goal is straightforward: to produce coffees with differentiated flavors that people can appreciate – and, of course, to earn a price that sustains that quality long-term. 

Wilmer continues to take steps to improve his coffee quality. He purchased a shaker that helps separate parchment and has lined his fermentation tanks with slab plating to ensure that no off-flavors are imbued in the coffee during fermentation. In the future, he plans to improve the quality of his drying facilities and build raised beds for further drying.  

Wilmer selectively handpicks ripe, red cherry and processes it on his farm. He lays cherry to sundry raking it frequently to ensure even drying.  

Castillo is a variety released by Colombia’s National Center for Coffee Investigation (CENCICAFE) in 2005. It is marked by high yield and resistance to Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR). Its dwarf size means it can be planted close together for higher per-hectare yields. Research has indicated that Castillo has a strong quality potential, contrary to popular quality assumptions about Castillo.