Costa Rica - Alejo Castro
Region : Alajuela
Farm : Volcan Azul
Cultivar : Starmaya
Altitude : 1 550 - 1 650 m
Process : Natural
Taste notes : Red plum, Date, Orange peel
TASTING PROFILE
Roundness, complexity, and breathtaking sweetness, this is a powerful showcase of Alejo Castro's expertise. A variety of overlapping notes emerge, beginning with the deep aroma of red plum. The initial roundness then gives way to subtle hints of yellow plum, followed by an impressive sweetness reminiscent of dried dates. The tropical journey concludes with a tangy finish, accented by hints of orange peel, once again reaffirming the strength of the Costa Rican terroir.
ORIGIN
A name, a heritage, the Castro Kahle family settled in Costa Rica in the early 19th century. Over generations, their work has grown in both quality and prestige, with Alejo now elevating standardization and quality to an impressive level, earning numerous awards for excellence. From washed to natural processes, including anaerobic fermentations, each batch is meticulously crafted with the goal of being consistently reproducible year after year.
This year, we were fortunate enough to source the natural Starmaya batch, a first-generation hybrid between the Marsellana variety and a variety native to southern Sudan, near the Ethiopian border. Resistant to leaf rust and weathering, this varietal has demonstrated exceptional aromatic qualities when grown at high altitudes. For this Starmaya natural batch, the coffee beans were dried on a patio for 6 days, then refined in mechanical dryers for approximately 54 hours to achieve a final moisture content of 11.3%.
TASTING
The filter coffee “par excellence”, with unprecedented complexity, calls for a balanced extraction using traditional or manual filter methods to fully express its aromatic qualities. As an espresso, this coffee offers a pleasant, condensed version of its flavor profile. Paired with frothed milk, it provides a warm, comforting alternative, perfect for the autumn season.
Espresso parameters:
Ground coffee : 20 g.
Resulting quantity : 43 g.
Time : 26-28 sec.
Drip parameters:
Ground coffee : 15 g.
Resulting quantity : 225 g.
Temperature : 88 C.