El Jardin Gesha | Colombia

Colombia — Leonardo Henao Finca El Jardín Gesha (Anaerobic Washed)

Tastes Like — 🍑 Nectarine • 🌸 White Flower • 🫐 Blackberry • 🍯 Honey

DETAILS

• Producer: Leonardo Henao
• Farm: Finca El Jardín
• Region: Santa Bárbara, Antioquia, Colombia
• Varietal: Gesha
• Process: Anaerobic Washed (36hr In-Cherry Fermentation)
• Altitude: 1,800 MASL
• Harvest: June
• Roast: Light

INTRO

From Leonardo Henao at Finca El Jardín — the Cup of Excellence Champion of 2020, returning to coffee production in 2024 after selling his previous farm and acquiring El Jardín in Santa Bárbara, Antioquia. A 36-hour anaerobic in-cherry fermentation followed by a quick channel washing and raised-bed drying produces a Gesha of vivid fruit and floral character with exceptional clarity. In the cup: nectarine, white flower, blackberry, and honey.

THE PRODUCER

Leonardo Henao is a lifelong coffee producer from Santa Bárbara, Antioquia — a region whose high altitude, cool climate, and rich volcanic soils have produced some of Colombia's most compelling specialty lots. His passion for the craft and relentless pursuit of excellence earned him the title of Colombia Cup of Excellence Champion in 2020 — a recognition that confirmed what his dedication had long suggested. After selling his farm in 2022, Leonardo stepped away from production, only to return in 2024 with the acquisition of Finca El Jardín, bringing his accumulated expertise to a new growing environment while continuing to share his knowledge with fellow producers and contribute to the broader development of specialty coffee culture in Antioquia.

Gesha, first collected from the coffee forests of Ethiopia in the 1930s and brought to global prominence at the 2005 Best of Panama competition, thrives in Santa Bárbara's cool highland conditions at 1,800 MASL — where slow cherry development and the region's distinct microclimate allow the variety's hallmark florality and delicate complexity to express themselves with exceptional clarity.

THE PROCESS

The Anaerobic Washed process at Finca El Jardín involves:

🍒 Hand-picking — Gesha cherries selectively harvested at peak ripeness 🔒 36-hour anaerobic in-cherry fermentation — Whole cherries fermented in limited oxygen conditions for 36 hours 🔧 Depulping — Outer skin removed after anaerobic fermentation 💧 Quick channel washing — Parchment coffee washed through channels to remove all remaining residue ☀️ Raised-bed drying — Dried on raised beds to optimal moisture content

The 36-hour anaerobic in-cherry fermentation is the defining step — by fermenting the whole cherry in a limited oxygen environment before depulping, Leonardo builds the nectarine and blackberry fruit complexity and white floral intensity that define this lot, while the quick channel washing and raised-bed drying preserve the honey sweetness and clean, well-structured finish that mark a champion producer's touch.

THE CUP

A vivid and beautifully expressive anaerobic washed Gesha from one of Antioquia's most accomplished and celebrated producers — nectarine brightness, white floral delicacy, blackberry depth, and a warm honey sweetness in a light, clean, and thoroughly rewarding cup. Leonardo Henao at Finca El Jardín: a champion's return.

Flavour Notes

🍑 Nectarine 🌸 White Flower 🫐 Blackberry 🍯 Honey