This is the first Gesha we've ever purchased, and it really stood out on the cupping table alongside a selection of Colombian coffees. It comes from Minga, an importer we've worked with before — you may recognise their name from the Mandarino washed we have.

Hervey and Rocio Cuellar have been coffee producers their entire lives, initially growing Castillo for the commodity market. At 34, Hervey decided he wanted to move beyond commodity production and seek out the renowned Gesha varietal in hopes of entering the specialty market and forming direct connections with customers. Four years ago he convinced his brother to start growing Gesha as well, and they spent months searching for seeds, eventually gaining permission to personally select the best fruits from a Gesha plot in Pitalito.

The first harvests didn't meet his expectations in terms of flavour complexity, but Hervey didn't give up. After around 30 different fermentation trials he finally perfected the clean, floral Gesha profile he was after. His method involves a 50-hour anaerobic fermentation of the cherries, followed by a 60-hour anaerobic fermentation of the depulped beans, before being fully washed and dried slowly on raised beds with shading on top of their house — around three weeks on average.

It's worth acknowledging Rocio in this achievement. Women often work behind the scenes in smallholder coffee production, and Rocio takes care of all the farm workers, cooking tirelessly every day for up to 15 people and ensuring everyone has what they need before heading out to work on the farm or in the mill. This coffee is a product of both their dedication.

This coffee is best enjoyed black.

Suitable for / Filter, Aeropress, Cafetière

Notes / Floral, Nectarine, Black Tea

Producers / Hervey & Rocio Cuellar

Region / Oporapa, Huila, Colombia

Variety / Gesha

Process / Washed

Altitude / 1,700 MASL

Importer / Minga