Halloween: PHIL vs SEB

Carlos Castro Solano isn’t just a coffee producer; he’s transformed his family’s third-generation farm, Rio Jorco, into a model operation. Perched at 1600m in Tarrazú, Costa Rica, the estate consistently produces outstanding coffees. But there’s more going on here than what ends up in the cup: roughly three-quarters of the property is protected for conservation, carrying forward the legacy of founder Jorge Zeledon Castro.

Here, Catuai grows among native shade trees, while Rio Jorco also works closely with partner producers across neighbouring subregions including Aserri, Acosta, Leon Cortez, Frailes, Desamparados and Corralillo. Tarrazú itself is a dramatic landscape of lush mountains and high-elevation farms, where coffee matures slowly and develops remarkable sweetness. Over the past decade, the region has seen an explosion of new producers and micro-mills, helping push Costa Rican coffee back to the forefront of specialty coffee.

For Halloween, this particular lot happens to have a slightly spooky trick up its sleeve: a profile that tastes remarkably like the candy bowl, with notes of Peanut Butter Cup, Marshmallow and Snickers.