COLOMBIA RAQUEL LASSO GESHA #1149

Gesha beans are the "cashmere of coffees", luxuriously soft and sweetly complex. The high-grown beans are a little harder, denser, than other beans, and you may hear the difference as your coffee grinder does its work. The aroma is delicate, gently spicy, and round with fruit. At first sip, you'll taste a fruit-punchy burst of yellow-toned tropical notes—papaya, pineapple, banana—along with an agave sweetness that seems to expand as you sip. After hitting their peak, the flavors coast into a warm, spicy finish, like mild pink peppercorn and honeysuckle florals. As the cup cools, there's plenty more for an adventurous palate to discover: I could identify rosy strawberry jam, white grape, key lime, a slightly botanical note of cucumber water, all finishing with that spiced honey finish. After all, it's a Gesha, and their tasting notes go on and on. This one has an unique, tangy sparkle from its anaerobic processing, an added step of fermentation that brings out notes like papaya, spice, and a creamy tartness like you'd find in freshly-made yogurt. We've tasted plenty of Geshas from other farms, but the way this coffee was processed really sets it apart from the rest.

This coffee comes from Raquel Lasso and her farm, La Bohemia, located 1800-2000 meters above sea level in the coffee-growing mecca of Narino, Colombia. There are almost too many good things to say about Raquel to fit in a single summary, but here goes. She has only a small lot of ~6,000 Gesha trees, cultivated from seeds originating in Panama (where the Latin American Gesha varietal was first discovered). Her farm is an example of what she calls "agroforestry", interspersing coffee plants among others like avocado, lemon, banana, and yucca, that feed themselves and local families. Raquel Lasso is also known for her tremendous outreach and service to the community. She founded FUDAM, an organization that works with small coffee producers to improve coffee quality, promote environmentally-sustainable growing methods, help farmers negotiate fair prices for their beans. She's also spearheaded an initiative that provides support for female growers to achieve economic equity and independence. Kudos to Roseline for sourcing such an amazing coffee, from a true leader and innovator in coffee, sustainability, and social responsibility.

With rich, round notes of papaya, pineapple, and banana, a luxuriously creamy mouthfeel, and an unusually spicy finish, this exclusive lot is a unicorn of Colombian coffee. We have less than 100 bags of this stunner, and it's bound to sell out fast— so don't wait! Reserve a bag of Roseline's sold out Colombia Raquel Lasso Gesha, and wrap yourself, or someone you love, in the “cashmere of coffee”: a sweet, tropical vacation for your morning.

Available while supplies last, as 8oz bags, whole bean and freshly ground.