Why Colombian Coffee Was Nearly Wiped Out — And How Castillo Saved It | AoF Ep4

🔗 Shop Drop 002 — Navigator’s Select: https://go.specialtyroasters.com.au/s... Navigator’s Select Drop 002 is now open. Taste the Colombian story featured in this episode — curated with Mule Coffee Roasters as part of our Navigator’s Select series. Why does Colombian coffee have so many varieties? And how did one country go from traditional Typica and Bourbon to Castillo, Pink Bourbon, and Gesha? In this 4th episode of Anatomy of Flavour, The Navigator continues the Colombia story — from the varieties that built its coffee identity, to the disease that nearly destroyed it, and the scientific response that changed Colombian coffee forever. From coffee leaf rust and Cenicafé’s breeding programs, to Castillo, Pink Bourbon, Yellow Gesha, and the rise of modern specialty coffee — this episode uncovers how Colombia didn’t just survive a crisis. It evolved. ☕ What you'll discover in this episode: • Why Colombia’s coffee varieties changed over time • How Typica and Bourbon shaped early Colombian coffee • Why coffee leaf rust became such a serious threat • How Cenicafé helped protect Colombian farmers • Why Castillo became one of Colombia’s most important varieties • How Pink Bourbon and Gesha changed the specialty coffee conversation • Why modern Colombian coffee is both scientific and deeply human ☕ Experience Drop 002 This month, we feature Mule Coffee Roasters — founded by two Colombians in Australia, Nicolas and Cesar. Drop 002 features three coffees from the same Colombian farmer, Cesar Buesaquillo, grown on the same land but expressed through three different varieties. Single origin. Single farm. Single farmer. Single roaster. Three completely different expressions. 🔗 https://go.specialtyroasters.com.au/s... 📍 In this episode: 0:00 – Colombia? Easy Guess. 0:46 – Why Colombian Coffee Is Almost Always Washed 4:25 – Coffee’s Introduction to Colombia 6:35 – The Birth of the FNC 9:02 – The Leaf Rust Outbreak 11:31 – Juan Valdez 12:55 – From the Many to the One 15:41 – Taste the Story 17:12 – Social Currency — Guess the Processing ☕ About Anatomy of Flavour This series connects craft, science, and history — to help you understand what you're really tasting. Because coffee isn't just a drink. It's a system shaped by geography, biology, power, crisis, and human invention. And now, we're decoding it. Follow the Journey: Instagram:   / specialty_roasters   Website: https://specialtyroasters.com.au/ #AnatomyOfFlavour #SpecialtyCoffee #Colombia #ColombianCoffee #CoffeeHistory #CoffeeEducation #SpecialtyRoasters #NavigatorsSelect #Drop002 #MuleCoffeeRoasters #Castillo #PinkBourbon #Gesha #Typica #Bourbon #CoffeeVarieties #CoffeeLeafRust #CoffeeDocumentary