It's such a privilege to support farmers like the Hernádez family, who create delicious coffees while providing jobs and assistance for their communities. Alexander and Leidy Hernández are the main employers in their village and are well known for sharing their success with those around them. They also produce incredible, consistent, clean coffees. We bought the Hernández family’s washed Gesha last year, and it was so popular it sold out within a couple days. This was their first year producing a naturally processed Gesha, so we had to have it! It has exquisite notes of peach, cherry, and oolong tea, and is perfect for savouring hot or iced.
Alexander and Leidy are originally from Caqueta, but they fled the region because of armed conflict. They settled in Huila and started over as a young couple in the early 2000s, betting on coffee for their new life. They worked hard to quickly understand the specialty market and plant the right varietals, and now they're the proud owners of a 30-hectare coffee farm that makes them the leading producer of the region. Their kids go to the National Coffee School (SENA) and the whole family is involved in the business or getting trained for the future. Right now, one of their main projects is planting more shade trees to increase protection against harsh drought, a big challenge in recent years.
To process this natural lot, cherries were oxidized for 24 hours and then dried for about four weeks. Drying naturals can be tricky in Colombia at this altitude because of unpredictable rain and low temperatures at night, so the success of this Gesha is a testament to the Hernández family's care and expertise.
We sourced this coffee via our friends at Minga Coffee, who focus on building meaningful and impactful relationships with producers in Huila, Colombia.
Elevation: 1700 Meters Above Sea Level
Varietal: Gesha
Cup score: 88+
Price paid per kg: £21.40
Process: Fully natural
