Single Origin: Colombia Wilton Benitez Thermo Shock

Single Origin: Colombia Wilton Benitez Yellow Bourbon

THE FACTS:

• Country: Colombia

• Region: Piendamó, Cauca

• Varietal: Yellow Bourbon

• Process: Thermo Shock Washed

• Altitude: 1,900 MASL

TASTING NOTES: Ruby grapefruit, lychee, frangipani

BACKGROUND: Produced at the world-renowned Granja Paraíso 92 in Piendamó, Cauca, this coffee is a masterclass in modern processing science. The producer, Wilton Benitez, is a chemical engineer who has revolutionized specialty coffee by treating his farm more like a laboratory than a traditional estate. His facility is equipped with bioreactors and advanced sterilization technology, allowing him to isolate and control every single variable that impacts flavor.

The "Thermo Shock" process is Wilton’s signature technique. After a carefully controlled double anaerobic fermentation, the beans are washed first with hot water (approximately 40°C) to expand the cellular pores, and then immediately shocked with cold water (approximately 12°C). This rapid temperature shift acts like a seal, locking in volatile aromatic compounds that are usually lost during traditional washing.

The result is a cup of incredible clarity and intensity. While the Yellow Bourbon varietal is naturally known for its sweet, complex profile, Wilton’s processing amplifies these traits into something exotic. Expect a coffee that defies the norm, bursting with the distinct, juice-like acidity of ruby grapefruit and the rare, floral aromatics of frangipani and lychee. This is not just coffee; it is precision engineering in a cup.