What is Montecillos Catuai Washed?
The everyday filter coffee from Spirit Origin's farm in Marcala.
Catuai is a compact arabica variety bred from Mundo Novo and Caturra, and one of the most planted in Central America. This lot comes from Finca Montecillos in Marcala, La Paz, at 1,600 metres (5,250 ft), farmed by Yuliana Hernandez, and it is washed: the fruit is removed before the seed dries. Spirit Origin roasts it medium and lists notes of citrus honey, sweet fruit and floral, with a cup score of 87 out of 100.
It is the cheapest coffee in the core range, sold whole bean or ground in a 340 g bag or packs of three and six.
What washed processing means for the cup
Clean and bright, with the origin in front rather than the fruit.
Washing strips the cherry before drying, so the cup tends to be lighter in body and clearer, with acidity and sweetness rather than the fruit-and-wine notes of a natural. That makes a washed Catuai an easy daily coffee: it is forgiving in a drip machine and clean in a pour-over. The citrus and honey Spirit Origin describes are typical of a well-washed Central American coffee grown high.
Roasted in Honduras, not abroad
Most coffee is shipped green and roasted in the country that drinks it. This one is not.
Spirit Origin roasts on a Probat at its roastery on Roatan, in Honduras's Bay Islands, a few days from the farms. The coffee is grown, processed, roasted and packed in the same country, which the company says keeps 92% of the revenue in Honduras rather than with an importer and a foreign roaster. The bags are nitrogen sealed, high barrier and fitted with a one-way degassing valve, and the packaging is certified home compostable under TUV OK Compost HOME. Every lot is tested by a third party for mycotoxins, pesticides and herbicides.
The schedule matters for freshness. Spirit Origin roasts weekly, rests the coffee, and dispatches on Tuesdays, and says most orders arrive in 3 to 11 business days. It does not say a roast date is printed on the bag, so you are relying on that weekly schedule rather than a date you can check. Our guide to storing coffee beans covers what to do once the bag is open.
Price, and what a cup costs
The least expensive way into Spirit Origin, and cheaper again on subscription.
| Bag | Price | Per kilo | Per cup (15 g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 340 g (12 oz) | $26.00 | $76.47 | $1.15 |
| 3 x 340 g | $64.80 | $63.53 | $0.95 |
| 6 x 340 g | $115.20 | $56.47 | $0.85 |
Shipping inside the United States is a flat $8.99, and free on orders over $75. That makes the single bag dearer than it looks: one bag plus shipping is the price of the bag and nearly nine dollars more. International orders are priced by DHL at checkout. Subscribe and save takes 20% off each bag, and you can skip, pause or cancel at any time.
Spirit Origin uses this coffee as its own subscription example: $20.80 a bag on subscribe and save, against $26 one-off, plus the $8.99 shipping until an order passes $75. On subscription, two bags a month is the point where the shipping starts to feel fair.
Catuai Washed vs Bourbon Natural
One farm, two processes.
The Montecillos Bourbon Natural is $10 more and scored 89 by the roaster, with cacao, tropical fruit and white wine in its notes. The Catuai is the cleaner, brighter, cheaper cup. If you are new to specialty coffee or brew in a drip machine, start here; if you like fruit-forward coffee, the Bourbon is the one to try next.
Catuai Washed vs Intelligentsia El Diablo
A single farm at a premium, or a Honduran blend for less.
The Intelligentsia El Diablo is a medium-dark Honduran coffee at $17.50 a bag and from $42.55 a kilo, roasted in the US. It is the cheaper Honduran choice by a distance. The Montecillos Catuai costs more and gives you a named farm and farmer, a lighter roast and roasting at origin.
How to brew it
Easy in almost anything that uses a paper filter.
A drip machine or a pour-over suits a washed medium roast. Start at about 1 gram of coffee to 16 of water. Grind medium for drip and a little finer for a cone; our grind size guide shows the difference. A washed coffee shows sourness quickly if it is under-extracted, so if it tastes sharp, grind finer or brew a little longer.
Is it worth it?
Yes, as the way to try Spirit Origin without paying for the rare lots.
At $26, or $20.80 on subscription, it is the most reasonable way to drink a single-farm Honduran coffee roasted at origin. It is not a bargain next to a value roaster, and it is not trying to be.
Who should buy it (and who should not)
Buy it if
- You want a clean, bright everyday filter coffee.
- You want traceability without paying for a Gesha.
- You would use a subscription, where it drops to $20.80.
Skip it if
- You want the cheapest bag; look at a value roaster.
- You make espresso; the Honduran Espresso Blend is roasted for it.
- You want a printed roast date.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Montecillos Catuai taste like?
Spirit Origin lists citrus honey, sweet fruit and floral notes, from a washed coffee roasted medium.
How much is it on subscription?
$20.80 a 340 g bag with subscribe and save, against $26 one-off, plus $8.99 US shipping under $75.
Where is it grown?
At Finca Montecillos in Marcala, La Paz, Honduras, at 1,600 metres, farmed by Yuliana Hernandez.
Is it good in a drip coffee maker?
Yes. A washed medium roast is one of the easiest coffees to brew well in a drip machine.
