Producer: Juan Peña
Farm: Hacienda La Papaya
Region: Loja Province
Altitude: 1,900-2,100 masl
Varietal: Gesha
Process: Washed
Roast: Light-Medium
Notes: Caramel, Champagne Grape, Chamomile

Gesha was established at Hacienda La Papaya in 2018, after obtaining seeds from a farm in Boquete, Panama, with a proven track record of Gesha propagation. The reproduction of these seeds in the future will be based on the same treatment as the mother plants.

After being depulped for a controlled fermentation process in pure water for 15 hours, the parchment coffee is taken to drying rooms for 11 days. Maintaining control of the drying allows the farm to obtain the clean and delicate profile that washed Geshas are known for.

Fifth-generation farmer Juan Peña began planting coffee in 2009 and now has 14 hectares of coffee in production at Hacienda La Papaya in Loja, Ecuador. The coffee is fully irrigated and fertilized according to an ingenious system of Juan's design, with soil sensors that analyze the ideal fertilization mixture at any given time. There is also an extensive nursery on site which serves both to regenerate existing lots and nurture new varietals.

Along with Philip Smith, Juan Peña founded CafExporto in 2019 at first to serve as the exporting arm of La Papaya. It has now expanded to offering technical and educational support, processing expertise, and export services for producer partners in Loja, Zamora, and other regions throughout the country.

We visited Hacienda La Papaya and CafExporto most recently in August 2024. One thing we’ve enjoyed experiencing in person is how the unique geography and cultivation innovations at La Papaya make for an extended harvest season. 2024 was a fairly traditional weather-cycle year in Loja. This predictability, in tandem with Juan’s advanced irrigation system, allowed for first pickings to begin in late May, the harvest to be in full swing in August, and the final cherries to be collected in early October.