Colombia Jardines Del Eden AEROBIC & ANAEROBIC RED GESHA

Geshaoften spelled ‘Geisha’, is one of the world's most famous and sought-after coffee varieties. It is known for its exceptional flavour profile and has repeatedly won prestigious coffee competitions and achieved record prices at international auctions. Its journey – from the remote forests of Ethiopia to the lush coffee plantations of Latin America, particularly Panama and Colombia – is a story of exploration, perseverance and innovation.

The story of Gesha begins in the 1930s in the Gori Gesha forest in Ethiopia, where the variety was first identified. In 1936, seeds were collected and sent to the Lyamungu research station in Tanzania. In the 1950s, the seeds were transferred to the Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE) in Costa Rica, where they were catalogued as part of a comprehensive project aimed at studying and preserving the genetic diversity of coffee.

Gesha's full potential was not immediately recognised. For many years, it was grown primarily for its resistance to coffee rust rather than for its cup quality, and some growers abandoned the variety because of its fragile branches and relatively low yield. It was not until the early 2000s that Gesha made its international breakthrough. In 2004, the Peterson family at Hacienda La Esmeralda in Panama discovered the variety's unique flavour profile when grown at high altitudes. The result attracted a lot of attention in the coffee world and changed the perception of Gesha forever.

Colombia, one of the world's leading coffee producers, quickly recognised the potential of this variety. The country's varied microclimates, high growing altitudes and nutrient-rich volcanic soils offer ideal conditions for this sensitive and demanding variety.

At Jardines Farms, growing this award-winning Gesha has been a true labour of love. In 2019, the owners planted the first Geisha seedlings with a clear vision – and through years of dedication, patience and careful nurturing, they developed something extraordinary.

The result? A coffee that captivates the senses – a symphony of lavender, sun-ripened tropical fruits and honey.

NATURAL EF2

The Natural EF2 process is a carefully controlled method that combines aerobic and anaerobic fermentation to enhance the coffee's complexity and deepen its flavour profile. The method is based on the traditional berry-dried process, but is supplemented with specific fermentation techniques to create a more unique and distinctive expression in the cup.

At Jardines, the harvesting team selectively picks only the ripest coffee berries, which are then carefully transported to La Pradera – Cofinet's processing centre. To preserve the freshness of the berries, they are transported in GrainPro bags or other suitable containers during the cool morning hours. This is a crucial step in preventing unwanted over-fermentation.

Upon arrival, the berries first undergo flotation separation in water tanks, where low-density beans are removed. The water used in this process is reused for several batches that require flotation. When it is no longer usable, it is filtered through a series of specially designed tanks and then passed through grass beds before being discharged. This natural filtration process purifies the water, ensures that no contaminated water leaves the processing centre and contributes to environmentally sustainable operations.

After flotation separation, the coffee berries are carefully hand-picked and sorted to remove any defective fruits that may have passed the initial selection. This step ensures that only the highest quality berries are carried forward in the process. The selected coffee berries then undergo dry aerobic fermentation for 24 hours. During this initial phase, naturally occurring microorganisms begin to break down the sugars in the fruit pulp, releasing and enhancing the coffee's flavour potential.

After the aerobic phase, the berries are transferred to GrainPro bags for a 50-hour anaerobic fermentation, which is carefully controlled at temperatures below 22°C to ensure optimal conditions.

Each step in the fermentation process plays a crucial role in shaping the character of the final cup. Shorter fermentation tends to bring out elegant and nuanced tones, while longer fermentation develops deeper, more intense and complex flavour layers. This careful and precise process creates a coffee with a clear, distinct and complex flavour profile.

Once fermentation is complete, the coffee cherries are moved to raised drying beds. There, they are spread out in thin, even layers to ensure good air circulation and even exposure to sunlight. The cherries are monitored continuously and turned regularly to achieve even and controlled drying and to prevent over-fermentation and mould formation. The drying process continues until the coffee cherries reach a moisture content of between 9.5 and 11 per cent, which is the optimal level for this coffee. Drying takes place in a greenhouse, where the temperature is kept between 20 and 38 °C. This creates a stable and controlled environment that ensures an even and high-quality drying process.