We think Finca El Refugio is one of the nicest 'classic washed' Geshas we've had in a while, and from a brilliant family. The Agudelo Uribe family started the farm in 2020 as a way to spend time together, connect with nature, and produce specialty coffee — passions the whole family shares. They've created a beautiful, nurturing environment for their family and their coffee trees, and this delicious Gesha is a perfect showcase. We taste crisp, juicy notes of blood orange, Earl Grey, and apricot. Definitely try this if you miss the good old days of traditional washed Geshas.
El Refugio has 7.5 hectares of exotic varietals like Gesha, Sidra Bourbon, and other Ethiopian varieties. The farm is located in the same mountain range as the Ruiz Volcano, giving it an optimal altitude and fertile soil. Before being used as a coffee farm, the land was for livestock and grass. However, when the farm turned to coffee, the Uribe family planted a lot of native trees to create shading and agroforest systems that protect the coffee from the harsh winds and erosive characteristics of the landscape. These trees also help fix nitrogen in the soil and provide nutrients to the coffee plantation. Since the trees are all native species, they became a natural habitat and source of food for the native fauna, especially regional birds.
All the coffee processed at the farm is fully washed. When the trees grow older, the Uribe family will probably explore natural processing options, but the initial harvests have had great results with the fully washed method showing the big potential of a young coffee. The washing process is done in an Ecomill, a special machine that pulps the coffee and has a fermentation tank right beneath the pulping mechanism. It's great for water management, as its water consumption is very low compared to other methods.
To process this lot, cherries were floated and impurities removed along with over/underripe fruits. The coffee was pulped and then fermented in its mucilage for about 24 hours, with adjustments being made on hotter days to keep fermentation at the perfect level. After fermentation, coffee was washed and moved to parabolic driers until the target moisture level was reached.
We sourced this coffee through our friends at Falcon, who work with farmers across the world to build collaborative supply chains and positive social and environmental outcomes for their communities.
Elevation: 1750-2050 Meters Above Sea Level
Varietal: Gesha
Cup score: 88+
Price paid per kg: £15.90
Process: Fully washed
