Mandarin, Fudge
A washed Colombian from Huila's Salado Blanco smallholders, the Cata Pacamara is smooth and richly flavoured - fudge and mandarin up front, with a warmth that nudges towards spiced rum. Grown at 1,850 metres and put through a two-stage fermentation, it holds up equally well as a filter or an espresso. Which, given how good it is either way, feels like a reasonable arrangement.
Fudgy, fruit-edged, brews either way
The Cata Pacamara comes from smallholders in the Salado Blanco area of Huila, a region in southwestern Colombia that sits high enough - 1,850 metres - to coax real complexity out of the cup. The Pacamara variety is known for its size and its character, and this one leans into both. The processing is careful and layered: a five-day cherry fermentation, then mucilage removal, a second 24-hour fermentation, and a final wash. It's a washed coffee, but one that's been given time to develop something richer than a straight washed profile tends to offer.
In the cup, expect fudge and mandarin with a warmth that sits somewhere between sweet and gently boozy - Assembly describe it as spiced rum, and that feels right. The texture is smooth and the flavours hold together well. Assembly have designed it to work as both filter and espresso, and it delivers: brewed long it's rounded and fruit-edged, pulled short it has weight and sweetness. If you're after something that moves between brew methods without losing its thread, this is a good one to reach for.
About the Roaster
Assembly Coffee started in Brixton in 2015, built around a simple conviction: that a roastery should source what its customers actually need, not what looks good on a shelf. Now a B-Corp certified team of thirty, they work with producers, scientists and hospitality partners across the world - bringing carefully chosen coffees to independent cafes, restaurants and home brewers from London to Manila.
