Gesha Village - Lot 26/128 Surma Washed | Ethiopia

Ethiopia — Gesha Village Surma Block Gesha 1931 Lot 26/128 (Washed)

Tastes Like — 🌸 Orange Blossom • 🍵 Green Tea • 🍓 Raspberry • 🌸 Jasmine • 🍊 Mandarin

DETAILS

• Producer: Gesha Village (Rachel Samuel & Adam Overton)
• Farm: Gesha Village — Surma Block
• Region: Bench Maji, Ethiopia
• Varietal: Gesha 1931
• Process: Washed
• Altitude: 1,909–2,063 MASL
• Lot: 26/128
• Size: 100g

INTRO

Lot 26/128 from the Surma block at Gesha Village — a second washed expression from this distinct and slightly higher-altitude parcel, sitting alongside the mossto anaerobic honey 26/E-25 as one of Datura's carefully selected Surma separations. The same immaculate processing protocol as the Oma washed lot — 12–18 hour dry fermentation, complete shade drying in thin layers for 12–15 days, two-month minimum rest — but with the distinct terroir of the Surma block at the forefront. In the cup: orange blossom, green tea, raspberry, jasmine, and mandarin.

THE PRODUCER

Gesha Village was established after Rachel Samuel and Adam Overton spent years studying Ethiopia's coffee heritage and exploring the forests around Gori Gesha — the region where the Gesha variety first grew wild. Fascinated by the exceptional genetic diversity of these ancient coffees, they selected land at altitude for its favourable climate, fertile soils, and natural coffee ecosystem, establishing the estate in 2012. Today, Gesha Village combines meticulous cultivation with a deep commitment to environmental conservation — large areas of native forest are protected, thousands of indigenous shade trees have been planted, and ongoing genetic research is conducted to better understand and preserve the diversity of Gesha.

All coffees from Gesha Village offered through Datura come from the Gesha 1931 selection — originating from wild coffee populations collected near the Gori Gesha forest, closely related to the material gathered during the historic 1931 expedition that ultimately led to the famous Panamanian Gesha. The Surma block, reaching up to 2,063 MASL, represents the highest growing altitude of the estate's two main blocks.

THE PROCESS

The Washed process at Gesha Village involves:

🍒 Hand-picking — Gesha 1931 cherries carefully sorted after harvest 🔍 Sorting & flotation — Carefully sorted and floated before pulping 🔧 Pulping — Outer skin removed before fermentation 🧪 Dry fermentation — Fermented dry for 12–18 hours to degrade and remove the mucilage layer 💧 Washing — Thoroughly washed after fermentation 🌑 Complete shade drying — Dried slowly in very thin layers entirely in the shade for 12–15 days, minimising cracked parchment and sorting out any defects ⏳ Extended rest — Coffee rests for a minimum of two months before milling, allowing the profile to fully stabilise and develop complexity

The complete shade drying and extended two-month rest are the defining steps — drying in very thin layers entirely under shade slows moisture loss with exceptional precision, preserving the Surma block's distinct aromatic character, while the patient rest allows every nuance to integrate fully before reaching the cup.

THE CUP

A beautifully complex and multi-layered washed Gesha 1931 from the Surma block — orange blossom and jasmine florality, green tea elegance, raspberry brightness, and a mandarin citrus finish that speaks clearly of the Surma block's distinct high-altitude terroir and the extraordinary restraint of Gesha Village's processing approach.

Flavour Notes

🌸 Orange Blossom 🍵 Green Tea 🍓 Raspberry 🌸 Jasmine 🍊 Mandarin