R15: 

Farm/Producer:  Jhonatan Gasca, Zarza Farm

Region: Colombia, Bruselas, Huila

Process: Natural 

Altitude: 1800 masl

Variety: Wush Wush

Cup Profile: Grapetizer, Cherry Candy, Pineapple, Peppermint tart

This is our third time working with Jhonatan Gasca and the Zarza project, and it’s been great to see the consistency in quality year on year. This is the first time we’ve brought in their Wush Wush varietal, something we were particularly interested in given the work they’ve been doing around both variety and processing.

Zarza, based in Huila, has built a strong reputation for producing high-quality, detail-driven lots, with a focus on experimentation and careful execution. Coffees from this project have also started gaining recognition on competition stages, with lots from Zarza and producers like Jhonatan Gasca being used by baristas in competition routines, speaking to the clarity and character they’re able to achieve. Jhonatan is part of a newer generation of producers pushing that standard forward. Wush Wush, a variety with roots in Ethiopia, is still fairly rare in Colombia and is known for its lighter structure and more aromatic profile when processed well.

For this lot, only fully ripe cherries are selected. The coffee undergoes 76 hours of anaerobic fermentation, with floaters removed early on. It is then oxidised in baskets for 12 hours before moving into a submerged fermentation stage, starting with water at 60°C for 24 hours. The coffee is then dried in marquesinas over 12 to 17 days. It’s a hands-on process, but one that results in a clean, expressive cup.

In the cup, we found a distinct Grapetizer note on filter, paired with a cherry candy sweetness. As espresso, it leans more tropical, with pineapple coming through clearly. With milk, it shifts into a more dessert-like profile, reminding us of peppermint tart.