Colombia — Jhonatan & Johan Gasca Finca Zarza Wush Wush (Advanced Natural)

Tastes Like — 💜 Lavender • 🍒 Cherry • 🍬 Candy • 🍍 Pineapple

DETAILS

• Producer: Jhonatan & Johan Gasca
• Farm: Finca Zarza
• Region: Pitalito, Huila, Colombia
• Varietal: Wush Wush
• Process: Advanced Natural (Anaerobic + Oxidation + Thermal Shock)
• Harvest: 2025
• Roast: Filter
• Size: 200g

INTRO

From Jhonatan and Johan Gasca at Finca Zarza in Pitalito — an exclusive Wush Wush lot processed through one of the most technically complex and multi-stage natural protocols in Colombian specialty coffee. The result is a cup of extraordinary intensity: a floral lavender opening, followed by the sweetness of cherry and pineapple, all wrapped in a deliciously fermented and tangy candy profile. In the cup: lavender, cherry, candy, and pineapple.

THE PRODUCER

Finca Zarza is the farm of brothers Jhonatan and Johan Gasca in Pitalito, Bruselas — one of Colombia's most celebrated and closely watched specialty addresses. The Gascas have built their reputation on a combination of exceptional varietal selection and relentless processing innovation, and Finca Zarza has become internationally recognised for pushing the boundaries of what Colombian coffee can express. Their lots have been used in world-stage competition, including Jack Simpson's 2024 World Barista Championship second-place routine, and the farm continues to attract global attention from roasters and competition baristas alike.

Wush Wush is a rare Ethiopian Landrace variety first documented in the Wush Wush area of southwest Ethiopia and now cultivated in small quantities in Colombia. Celebrated for its vivid floral character, tropical fruit expression, and extraordinary aromatic intensity, it is one of the most sought-after and responsive varietals for experimental processing — qualities the Gascas exploit to remarkable effect here.

THE PROCESS

The Advanced Natural process at Finca Zarza involves:

🍒 Hand-picking — Wush Wush cherries selectively harvested at peak ripeness 🔒 Anaerobic fermentation — Whole cherries fermented in sealed, oxygen-free conditions for 76 hours 🌬️ Open-air oxidation — Cherries exposed to open air for 12 hours, introducing a controlled oxidative phase that develops additional aromatic complexity 🌡️ Thermal shock — Cherries submerged in water at 60°C for 24 hours, fixing the aromatic compounds built during fermentation and locking in the profile ☀️ Slow drying — Dried slowly over approximately 10 days to optimal moisture content

The thermal shock step is the defining innovation — by submerging the cherries in 60°C water for 24 hours after the anaerobic and oxidative phases, the Gascas fix the aromatic compounds developed during fermentation, setting the lavender florality, candy sweetness, and tropical fruit character permanently into the bean with a precision that would otherwise be impossible to achieve.

THE CUP

A cup of extraordinary intensity and complexity from one of Huila's most ambitious and technically accomplished farms — an elegant lavender opening gives way to ripe cherry and juicy pineapple, all enveloped in a deliciously fermented, tangy candy character that is as playful as it is precise. Finca Zarza's Wush Wush at its most expressive.

Flavour Notes

💜 Lavender 🍒 Cherry 🍬 Candy 🍍 Pineapple