Gesha-Colombia El Mirador Best of Tolima Auction Lot 4oz

Every now and then, you come across a coffee that feels like a quiet revelation. One that you don’t just taste—but you feel. This Washed Gesha, from producer César Augusto, is one of those coffees. And the journey it took to reach us only deepens the meaning behind every sip.

We first encountered this coffee at the Best of Tolima auction—an event that brings together some of the finest and most promising coffees from the region. We cupped dozens of lots that day, all impressive in their own way. But when we tasted César’s Gesha, we took notice. There was a presence in the cup. A clarity. A sense of intention behind it. We didn’t know who the farmer was yet, or the story behind the coffee—we just knew it was special.

Later, when we learned it came from César Augusto, and when we spoke to him it all made sense.

César purchased his farm in 1995 in the Los Mangos district. Back then, he started with just 1,000 coffee trees. No big infrastructure. No advanced mill. Just a vision and the willingness to work. Over time—decades, really—he’s built something remarkable. He’s grown the farm, introduced new systems, and quietly elevated his craft through trial, error, and persistence. Today, the farm includes a well-developed mill and processing facilities, but what sets César apart is not the equipment. It’s the patience.

And you can feel that patience in his process.

This coffee was produced using a semi-washed method that stretches across multiple days—each stage intentionally spaced to give the coffee time to express itself. Monday’s harvest rests 24 hours. Tuesday’s, 12. Then, cherries are bag-fermented, allowed to deepen in flavor before being depulped and fermented again—this time for 12 hours. Once it’s just past the wet stage, it goes into sealed bags for another three days, then dried until the beans take on a distinctive dark hue. And even then, it rests again—another three days sealed, followed by 15 to 20 days of quiet stabilization.

There’s no rushing this coffee. And as a result, it carries a stillness that’s rare.

In the cup, you’ll find hints of jasmine woven through the aroma, almost ethereal. Then the fruit arrives—not loud or sugary, but clean, layered, and structured. Think stone fruit—plum, maybe apricot—complex but not heavy. The finish is where it all comes together: delicate acidity, a little sparkle, like white peach or nectarine, and a floral thread that stays with you long after the cup is empty.

This is a coffee that honors restraint. It speaks softly, but clearly. And behind that clarity is a grower who’s been shaping his land and his process for nearly 30 years—never chasing trends, just doing the work, season after season.

Winning Best of Tolima didn’t just bring César’s coffee into our roastery—it brought his story into our hearts. And that’s why we’re proud to share this lot with you. Not just because it’s beautiful—but because it carries the soul of someone who never stopped believing in what good coffee could be