Sassy Scarlet Macaw – Wilton Benitez – Colombia Castillo – Single Origin
Scarlet Macaw – Wild Scarlet Macaws feed on fruits, nuts, seeds, flowers and nectar. A little similar to the great taste of this coffee. The Macaw is a huge bird with a wing span up to 90cm.
This is a complex coffee, so get yourself ready for this sweet fruit natural combo…
Sassy – Lively, Bold, Sweet and Full of Spirit; Cheeky. It sums up this coffee.
A balanced coffee, but full of flavour and bright acidity. You will love this. It’s a quality coffee to be enjoyed black or with milk if you choose — though we recommend it black as an espresso or filter. Also fantastic as a cold brew, but we will leave that all up to you, as there are no rules of how you have to drink coffee
Taste Profile
A vibrant and clean washed Colombian coffee with bright fruit notes, cocoa sweetness, and a smooth finish. The 36-hour fermentation creates a lively, layered cup with crisp acidity and a balanced body.
Taste Notes:
- Milk Chocolate
- Plum
- Apricot
- Organic Sugar
- Almond
- Cranberry
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Filter Roast → highlights juicy plum, apricot, cranberry, floral hints, and a crisp, tea-like sweetness.
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Espresso Roast → syrupy and balanced with milk chocolate depth, almond nuttiness, sweet citrus, and a silky finish that cuts beautifully through milk.
Story & Origin
This Castillo varietal comes from the Cauca region in southern Colombia, an area known for its relatively flat terrain compared to other Colombian growing regions. This stability results in consistent coffee quality and flavour.
The coffee is produced by the renowned Wilton Benitez of Granja Paraiso 92. Working with nearby smallholder farmers, Wilton sources freshly picked cherries and transports them to his state-of-the-art facility in Piendamó, Cauca.
At the mill, the cherries undergo 36 hours of controlled fermentation, before being depulped, washed, and carefully dried. This precise method ensures exceptional cleanliness and flavour clarity in the cup.
Brewing Suggestions
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Filter Roast: V60, batch brew, Aeropress — expect lively acidity, layered stonefruit, cranberry sweetness, and a delicate finish.
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Espresso Roast: Espresso, stovetop, or milk-based drinks — enjoy milk chocolate depth, almond notes, and syrupy balance.
Coffee Details
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Varietal: Castillo
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Process: Washed
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Fermentation: 36 Hours
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Producer: Wilton Benitez
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Region: Piendamó, Cauca, Colombia
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Altitude: 1700 – 2100 MASL
Brew Tips & Ratios
General: Brew ratio of 1:16 to 1:2. Try a lower brew head temperature if you can; it’s a very rich coffee — if your normal brew temp is 93 °C, try 89–90 °C. Well worth the experiment.
Espresso (1:17)
22 g finely ground coffee → 38 g espresso liquid (double shot) in ~27 seconds at 91 °C.
This timing is from button/lever start until ~40 g out. Adjust grind to hit the target.
Home espresso machine tips:
Slow the flow — you want oils, not “dish water”. If dosing manually, use:
Weight in basket × 1.8 = shot weight (g) (e.g., 12 g in = 20.4 g out) in ~27 seconds, depending on your setup.
French Press (guide):
16 g coarse grind → 240 g water at 89 °C. Adjust strength to taste (add water if too strong).
Check our Facebook page for live demos on all methods. Want a fresh live demo? Message or email us.
