Colombia | Ivanov Castellanos - Sudan Rume

Tasting Notes: Raspberry, cherry, honey, hibiscus, vanilla. Silky body, complex, and vibrant.

Origin: Manizales, Colombia

Farm: Tio Conejo

Producer: Ivanov Castellanos

Elevation: 2000 masl

Variety: Sudan Rume

Process: Natural

About: We connected with the Castellanos family at the Pennsylvania Chocolate and Coffee Fest and were totally enamored with them. They truly embody the meaning of a happy family, and did nothing but spread joy to everyone around them. We reconnected with the Tio Conejo family at their home where we cupped coffees with Angela, Emilia, and Isabella. While the table was filled with really incredible coffees, this Sudan Rume jumped out as something extra special.

When Ivanov isn't producing coffees or running the business with his wife and daughters, he run a vet clinic. He and his family have also put in a tremendous amount of work to make their coffee farm sustainable.

We have processing information below, but we're adding in some transparency first.

Transparency: Since this coffee is a bit more expensive than our usual coffee, we figured we'd provide a little context.

Green coffee: $25/lb
Transportation: $2.21/lb
Total cost to us: $27.21
Roast weight loss and QC: 11%
Packaging: $1
Overhead: $0.50/bag
Labor: $20/hr

That brings the cost of an 8oz bag to $47 and a 4oz bag to $24. We're opting to subsidize the transportation fees and overhead to bring the cost down on this.

From the producer: "Sudan Rume is one of the rarest and most genetically valuable Arabica coffee varieties in the world. Originally collected in the Boma Plateau region of Sudan, it is a traditional landrace rather than a modern hybrid, making it an important source of genetic diversity for coffee research and breeding programs.

Although it is known for its low productivity and challenging cultivation, Café Tío Conejo has embraced this remarkable variety because of its extraordinary cup potential. Our Sudan Rume reflects the combination of this exceptional genetic heritage, the unique terroir of our farm in Manizales, Colombia, and a meticulous processing approach that preserves the variety's natural identity.

For this lot, only ripe and overripe cherries are selectively hand-harvested. The cherries are then sorted by density to ensure that only the highest-quality fruit continues through the process. They undergo a 36-hour whole-cherry fermentation in sealed containers before being transferred to our mechanical solar drying system, where the coffee is slowly sun-dried under carefully controlled conditions. This approach combines the benefits of natural solar energy with precise control over airflow, temperature, and drying consistency. Once the desired moisture level is reached, the coffee is rested for approximately three months, allowing it to stabilize before being prepared for export and commercialization.

This combination of selective harvesting, controlled fermentation, and precision mechanical solar drying preserves the coffee's natural character while enhancing its sweetness, clarity, and overall balance in the cup."

House recipe: V60: 1:16.6. ~2:30 brew time. We use a bloom followed by 3 pours. ~24 clicks on the C40.

Rest: Minimum 2 weeks.

Roast Level:

 Intensity:
 

Whole Bean Coffee | Net wt. 4 oz. or 8 oz.