Castillo

Castillo was developed by Colombia's national coffee research centre, Cenicafe, over more than two decades of breeding and selection, and released to farmers in 2005. It descends from the Colombia variety line, itself a Caturra by Timor Hybrid cross, further refined for improved leaf rust and coffee berry disease resistance while aiming to keep cup quality close to traditional Colombian coffee. The variety is named after Colombian agronomist Jaime Castillo Zapata. Castillo was promoted heavily as a replacement for the more vulnerable Caturra following renewed rust outbreaks, and several regional strains were released to suit different growing zones. It is now the most widely planted variety in Colombia, valued for its resilience and productivity, and it produces a smooth, citrus accented cup that blind tastings have found broadly comparable to Typica, Caturra and Bourbon.