Intelligentsia 124 - Santa Monica

Raised in a family of coffee farmers, Julian Palomino learned how to cultivate coffee alongside his grandparents before heading to university to study agronomy. Using his degree, he spent years working with coffee producing families across Cauca. Eventually, he and his wife, María Teresa, purchased land to establish a farm of their own: El Progreso. Over the past decade, they have transformed former pasture land into a thriving four-hectare coffee farm planted primarily with Castillo, a Colombian variety with resistance to coffee leaf rust. This lot showcases the Palomino family’s take on Castillo, shaped by the cloud-covered terrain of Totoró and careful double-washed processing. The resulting cup is clean and sweet, layered with notes of ripe stone fruit.

This syrupy sweet espresso blend has been the staple of our lineup since the very beginning. Supreme balance and a wonderful sweetness make this a classic.

In the northernmost reaches of the Peruvian Andes lies the small coffee community of Alto Ihuamaca, where high elevation, sun-soaked days, and cool nights create ideal conditions for growing exceptional coffee. It is here that Dionisio Pintado carries on a family tradition of coffee farming. His farm, Agua Cristalina, is named for a nearby spring whose crystal clear waters reflect the natural beauty of the region. After selectively picking cherries from Bourbon and Caturra trees, the Pintado family carefully segments and processes lots in small batches, preserving the unique character of their farm’s terroir. This lot stood out as perfectly suited for pulling fruity espressos with soft, balanced acidity.