Meet Our Colombia Camilo Enciso | Geisha Washed Coffee

Introduction

We've got something special for this month's Roaster's Pick Espresso Colombia Camilo Enciso | Geisha Washed, a coffee that marries rarity with revolution and is often reserved for filter lovers. We thought we'd get this out to treat the spro bros (and sisters!). Grown by Camilo Enciso in the mist-shrouded hills of Planadas, Tolima, this Geisha varietal is a rockstar in the coffee world, with notes of delicate florals, apricot and green tea, it’s a cup that defies expectations, proving Colombia’s highlands can live up to Panama’s famed Geisha legacy.

Get Yours Here!

How’s It Taste?

This espresso is a delicate powerhouse. Fragrant jasmine and delicate florals upfront, followed by apricot sweetness and a hint of green tea tyo finish. The washed process highlights clarity, with a silky body and citrus-like acidity that lingers like a sunset. It’s a Geisha that’s bold enough for espresso yet nuanced enough to savour straight.

How To Brew?

Recipe

To experience the full depth of this coffee, we recommend trying these brewing methods:

• Espresso
• Aeropress
• French Press
• Stovetop
• Cold Brew

Each brewing method will highlight different flavours, aromas and textures from the coffee but all of them will result in a satisfying cup.

For more brewing tips, visit our Brewing Guide.

Who’s Behind This Coffee?

Camilo Enciso, a visionary in Colombia’s Planadas region, building his farm and a community along with it. As general manager of ASOPEP (a cooperative collective), he’s united Planadas’ smallholders, amplifying their voice in Colombia’s specialty scene. His 10-hectare Finca El Triunfo doubles as a sustainability lab:

• Shade Diversity: Over 320 walnut, guamo, and vanilla trees planted in 2015 create a microclimate that nurtures Geisha’s delicate cherries.

• Water Stewardship: Uses spring water from community aqueducts, returning processed cherry pulp to fields as compost.

• Team Care: Employs 8 seasonal pickers and 4 full-time workers, prioritising fair wages and training.

Camilo’s grandfather farmed here, but it’s Camilo who turned El Triunfo into a Geisha sanctuary, proving Tolima’s potential beyond its conflict-ridden past.

The Process

1. Harvest: Cherries handpicked by trained teams, with a second manual sort on shaded tables to remove defects.

2. Fermentation: Pulped cherries ferment anaerobically in plastic tanks for 96–144 hours, timed to ambient temperature.

3. Washing: Single rinse with icy spring water, channeling beans through handmade pipes to drying stations.

4. Drying: Sun-dried on wooden decks for 2 days, then moved to shaded multi-tier racks for 20–35 days. Workers stir beans hourly by hand, a ritual that prevents clumping in Tolima’s humid climate.

The absence of machinery isn’t a limitation, it’s a choice. Every step is tactile, ensuring Geisha’s fragile aromatics remain intact.

The Region

Planadas, Tolima, sits in Colombia’s Andean foothills, a region once overshadowed by conflict. At 1,950 MASL, cool nights and equatorial sun create a slow-ripening environment, intensifying sugars in Geisha’s thin-skinned cherries.

Colombia’s coffee belt usually thrives on Caturra and Castillo, but pioneers like Camilo are chasing the fame of bigger names. Planadas’ volcanic soils and cloud-kissed slopes mirror Panama’s Boquete, a hint of why this Geisha rivals its Central American cousins.

About the Geisha (Gesha) Variety

Geisha traces its roots to Ethiopia’s Gori Gesha forest, where seeds were collected in the 1930s. Sent to Tanzania and later Costa Rica’s CATIE research centre (cataloged as T2722), it was distributed to Panama in the 1960s for its coffee leaf rust resistance. Farmers ignored its brittle branches until the 2000s, when Panama’s Hacienda La Esmeralda rediscovered it. Their 2005 Best of Panama win at $20/lb revolutionised its status.

DNA tests confirmed Panama’s Geisha as a direct descendant of Ethiopia’s T2722. Thriving above 1,800 MASL, its slow-ripening cherries yield delicate jasmine florals, peach sweetness, and tea-like clarity, a profile demanding perfect growing and processing. Once dismissed, Geisha now epitomises coffee’s potential for rediscovery.

Colombia Camilo Enciso | Geisha Washed isn’t just a coffee milestone. It’s a statement: that patience, community, and untouched landscapes can elevate a varietal to art.

Grab a bag for yourself!

For those interested in establishing a wholesale coffee partnership, head to our wholesale page and fill out the contact form. If you're a venue looking to purchase casually or feature us as a guest roaster, visit Ordermentum to connect and view our price list.