**Colombia — Rafael Velasco, Finca la Colina — Gesha (Semi-Washed)**

Tastes Like — 🌿 Lemongrass • 🍋 Bergamot • 🍍 Tropical Fruits

DETAILS

• Producer: Rafael Velasco
• Farm: Finca la Colina
• Region: Inza, Cauca, Colombia
• Varietal: Gesha
• Process: Semi-Washed
• Altitude: 1,820 MASL
• Sizes: 114g (4oz), 227g (8oz)

INTRO

A captivating expression of Gesha from the highlands of Inza, Cauca, this semi-washed lot from Rafael Velasco's Finca la Colina delivers an aromatic and texturally nuanced cup. The semi-washed process bridges the precision of a fully washed coffee with a touch of the fruit-forward character more commonly associated with naturals — resulting in a coffee that is both transparent and intriguing.

The flavour profile is distinctly herbal and citrus-driven, with lemongrass and bergamot providing a bright, aromatic lift that lingers into a tropical fruit sweetness on the finish.

THE PRODUCER

Rafael Velasco farms in the municipality of Inza, in the Cauca department of southwest Colombia — a region celebrated for producing some of the country's most distinctive and expressive lots. Cauca's dramatic altitude variation and complex microclimates make it ideal for high-quality coffee cultivation, and Finca la Colina sits at 1,820 MASL, where the combination of rich volcanic soils, morning mists, and cool nights slows cherry maturation and concentrates sweetness.

Velasco approaches his farm with meticulous attention to the growing and harvesting stages, hand-selecting only the ripest cherries to ensure the quality and consistency that specialty buyers have come to expect from the region's finest producers.

THE PROCESS

The Semi-Washed process at Finca la Colina involves:

• 🍒 Selective Harvest — Only fully ripe cherries are hand-picked at peak maturity
• 🔧 Pulping — The outer skin is removed, leaving some or all of the mucilage intact
• 📅 Mucilage Fermentation — Beans are allowed to ferment with mucilage present, developing complexity
• ☀️ Raised Bed Drying — Coffee is dried on raised African beds with careful monitoring and turning to ensure even moisture reduction

This process results in a cup that bridges the clarity of washed coffees with additional fruit-forward sweetness and body, creating a nuanced and layered flavour experience.

THE CUP

A beautifully aromatic Gesha from Cauca's high-altitude growing conditions, Velasco's semi-washed expression is elegant and herbaceous, with the transparency of a carefully processed lot. The lemongrass and bergamot lift the nose and palate alike, while tropical fruit sweetness provides a warm, rounded finish.

Flavour Notes

• 🌿 Lemongrass
• 🍋 Bergamot
• 🍍 Tropical Fruits

What is the roast recency?

We recommend brewing with beans that are at least two weeks off roast. All beans are roasted to peak flavour at around 6–12 weeks. We have the option to either purchase standard beans (at least 2 weeks but no longer than 6 weeks off roast), or rested beans (at least 7 weeks off roast, no longer than 12 — should we have any left in stock!). For peak flavour, if you are looking to use immediately, we recommend purchasing the rested beans. If you are adding to your rotation of beans, we recommend purchasing the standard and allowing the beans to naturally rest and mature whilst you rotate through other beans.