Colombia Huila Las Mieles Honey Gesha
This delightful honey processed Gesha comes to us from 25 producers near the small city of Pitalito in Huila, Colombia. It's sweet, crisp and refreshing with lively notes of pink grapefruit, tropical fruit, honey and a floral undertone.
The Gesha (or Geisha if you prefer) cultivar was first discovered in Ethiopia in the 1930s but it took decades for it to gain the popularity it enjoys today. In the mid 2000s, it gained attention in Panama where it won a cupping competition for its distinctive clean florality and it quickly spread to nearby Guatemala and neighboring Colombia. While Panamanian Gesha continues to demand the highest market prices, Guatemalan and Colombian producers are refining their Gesha crops and are making some huge waves. This offering from Huila is a prime example of what Colombian Gesha is capable of and all without the Panamanian price premium!
Honey process is particularly good at highlighting the best of Gesha without losing some of it's more subtle attributes. As you'd expect, this coffee is quite clean, delightfully bright and just a touch complex. It's got a full, creamy body with a refreshing finish. Look for notes of pink grapefruit, tropical fruits such as pineapple, mango and passion fruit as well as sweet honey and a gentle floral undertone.
Reminder! This coffee is raw, you must roast it before brewing
Arrival Date: April 22nd, 2022
Acidity & Brightness: Delightfully bright, very sweet and fruity
Balance & Finish: Slightly complex with a refreshing finish
Body & Texture: Full bodied with a creamy texture
Flavors: Pink grapefruit, tropical fruit, honey and a floral undertone
Grade: Excelso, Grown at 1700-1900 masl
Processing: Honey process, depulped and fermented for 12 hours and dried between 20-25 days inside solar dryers that provide protection from the rain
Grower: 25 producers organized around Terra Coffee SAS
Region: Pitalito, Huila
Varieties: Gesha (Geisha)
Recommended Roast Range: City to Full City (light to medium)
We like this coffee best at City to Full City (Light to medium), You'll get more of the subtle floral notes notes and sparkling acidity at a light-medium (City+). This coffee can handle going darker into Full City+ but you'll lose some subtle floral flavors and pick up some roasty, bittersweet chocolate notes.
Royal Coffee - "It’s hard to pinpoint why some regional blends rise to the top each year but this is exactly the business of Terra Coffee SAS, which works directly with small groups of farmers in Huila and Nariño who produce outstanding coffee. This traceable honey processed community blend of the Gesha variety with a vibrant regional profile comes from 25 producers with small farms in the municipality of Pitalito within the department of Huila. Each producer has their own micro-mill where they carefully harvest cherries, depulp, ferment, and gently dry the parchment on raised beds. Imagine the harmony between these producers in farm management and post-harvest practices to achieve a clean and consistent blend. This is where Terra Coffee SAS steps in with harvesting strategies and cupping expertise."
