This month, I offer you a unique experience for your taste buds: a Caturra aged in rum barrels, still signed by the legendary Wilton Benitez and cultivated on his farm Paraiso 92 , nestled at 1900 m altitude in the region of Piendamó, Cauca, in Colombia.
As always with Wilton, nothing...
This month, I offer you a unique experience for your taste buds: a Caturra aged in rum barrels, still signed by the legendary Wilton Benitez and cultivated on his farm Paraiso 92 , nestled at 1900 m altitude in the region of Piendamó, Cauca, in Colombia.
As always with Wilton, nothing is left to chance. After a controlled inoculation with specifically selected bacterial strains, this coffee is washed and then gently placed in rum barrels for 15 days. This rare process gives the coffee a unique aromatic complexity, with notes of caramel, chocolate, and root beer, a sweet roundness, and a subtle alcoholic touch—without masking the identity of the terroir.
Why this coffee is so special
Wilton is once again pushing the boundaries of innovation in specialty coffee. Aging green coffee in rum barrels isn't a new idea, but Wilton has mastered the art of doing it without overpowering the bean's original profile. The result is a balanced, smooth, full-bodied cup with a delicate oaky note and a sweet finish reminiscent of caramel and vanilla.
How to make it taste its best?
To truly unlock the full potential of this unique coffee, there are two essential elements: resting time and a well-mastered espresso.
First, be patient!
This coffee benefits greatly from resting after roasting. I highly recommend waiting at least 14 days (and up to 21 days) before enjoying it. Too soon, the acidity lacks vibrancy and the intensity of the rum aromas takes over too much. The longer you let the coffee mature, the more the cup reveals a beautiful balance between the rounded sweetness and bright acidity that is characteristic of Caturra.
Next, let's talk extraction:
For espresso, unlike some of my more "modern" recipes, I adopt a classic 1:2 ratio here, around 30 seconds of extraction . Why? Because a light channeling —a slightly less uniform extraction—amplifies the aromatic richness: this lets both the depth of the rum barrel aging and the lively acidity of the Caturra express themselves. This is a perfect example of a coffee where "extraction diversity" in the cup becomes an advantage.
My base for a classic balanced shot:
- 20g of coffee in your portafilter for 40g output
- 25-30 seconds of extraction (depends on your machine's initial fill time, go with your feeling on this one)
In the filter, keep a classic ratio of 1:16 , water around 94–95°C , and don't hesitate to do a longer bloom (45–60 s) to really awaken the aromatic complexity. We aim for an EY around 20%. Below 20%, you will have little complexity of acidity, a very monotonous coffee and a lot of rum aromas. Above 20%, you will have a good body and many aromas but perhaps too much bitterness coming from the rum.
With this coffee, the goal is to bring out the complexity of the caturra while preserving the volatile aromas of the rum.
