A Colombia-Gesha-washed process trifecta with extra fruitiness given by an extended fermentation.
VERY SPECIAL
This first VS for 2024 is an image of what we hold dear in this section of Sample Coffee: it’s from Colombia, it’s Gesha, and it’s a washed process. Without being too crazy in flavour profile or obscure in its fermentation, it’s a great example of high-quality coffee production and cup presence.
If anything, the extended fermentation (~36h) adds enhanced fruitiness to the characteristic tea-like notes of the Gesha varietal. It’s a beautiful coffee—a perfect start for another VS year.
THE PRODUCER
Isaias Cantillo used to work as a coffee picker, moving from farm to farm through the Huila, Tolima, and Risaralda departments. When he met Nidia, his wife, he decided it was time for him to settle down in his own piece of land in Suaza, which he named La Esperanza.
Their children grew up surrounded by coffee trees. José Manuel, one of them, knew from early on that he wanted to continue with his father’s legacy. So, in 2003, he decided to start producing coffee on the piece of land his father gave him—Finca Filo del Oso.
Even if it’s his own farm, he works closely with his brothers, who all live in the surroundings. They all help each other and work together toward the same objective: to produce high-quality coffee.
Over the years, Jose Manuel has learned to cup coffee and differentiate quality grades. He is motivated to improve his processes to achieve excellent quality—the secret to success, for him, is to do things with love and dedication.
THIS COFFEE LOT
This lot is a Gesha varietal, fermented with water for 36 hours in tanks, then fully washed and dried on raised beds.
