Sebastián Ramírez’s White Honey Geisha is a vibrant and elegant coffee with floral notes of jasmine and honeysuckle, balanced by sweet flavours of white peach and lychee. Su...
Sebastián Ramírez’s White Honey Geisha is a vibrant and elegant coffee with floral notes of jasmine and honeysuckle, balanced by sweet flavours of white peach and lychee. Subtle hints of bergamot add complexity, while a silky body and bright acidity create a refreshing finish.
The El Placer Farms Project, led by fourth-generation Colombian coffee producer Sebastián Ramírez, is a collaborative network of specialty coffee farms across Quindío and Huila. Originating from his family’s Finca El Placer in Calarcá, the project now includes partner farms such as Andalucía, La Sofía, La Carito, and La Paz . These farms, situated at elevations between 1,200 and 2,100 meters above sea level, benefit from ideal conditions for cultivating high-quality coffee.
Central to the project is the Hacienda Córcega Beneficio Center in Quimbaya, a state-of-the-art facility where advanced processing techniques like carbonic maceration, honey, and natural methods are employed. Here Sebastián and his team utilize proprietary yeasts and lactic bacteria to develop unique flavor profiles.
Sebastián Ramírez’s Finca El Placer in Quindío, Colombia, exemplifies a harmonious blend of social responsibility and environmental stewardship. Environmentally, the farm eschews herbicides, opting for manual weeding and soil health assessments to promote biodiversity and minimize chemical use. Innovative processing methods, such as carbonic maceration and honey processing, are employed to reduce water consumption, aligning with sustainable practices .
Socially, Sebastián leads the Generational Relief initiative, aiming to educate and inspire young individuals to pursue careers in coffee production, thereby securing the industry’s future . He also supports local farmers by offering access to advanced processing facilities and mentorship programs, enhancing their agricultural practices and market competitiveness . Additionally, Sebastián collaborates with animal welfare organizations, providing shelter for rescued animals on his farm . Through these initiatives, Finca El Placer stands as a model for integrating community development with environmental conservation in the coffee industry.
Gesha (or Geisha) is a prized variety that often fetches high prices due to it’s unique and delicious flavour profile. The variety gets it’s name from the Gora Gesha village in Ethiopia where it originated from before it was taken to Costa Rica as part of a research program in the 1950’s. In Costa Rica it was found to have good resistance against Leaf Rust and so was taken over the boarder to Panama for cultivation there too. Initially Gesha was unsuccessful in Panama due to lack of altitude. However, fast forward to 2004 and after some experimenting, Gesha finally made a name for itself when it broke records by selling for a whopping $770 per kg!
Ever since that famous lot that was produced by Hacienda la Esmeralda in 2004, Gesha has been a desirable variety. While not all Geshas have the same quality and cup profile, good ones often exhibit high sweetness, very clean cup and floral notes like jasmine, coffee blossom and black tea.
After picking, ensuring 95% are fully ripe and 5% are semi-ripe, coffee goes through a meticulous white honey process that enhances its delicate flavour profile. These cherries undergo a 48-hour anaerobic fermentation in 200-liter tanks at a controlled temperature of 18°C, with CO₂ injection and submersion in water with an oxygen pump to promote specific fermentation dynamics. After fermentation, the cherries are pulped and lightly washed, leaving some mucilage on the parchment. The beans are then dried in two phases: first, under shade netting at 40°C and 25% humidity for approximately 20 days, followed by additional drying in a parabolic dryer for about 5 days. This slow and controlled drying process ensures the beans reach an optimal moisture content of 9–11%. Finally, the coffee is packaged in GrainPro bags and stabilized for 15 days, preserving its quality and enhancing its complex flavor profile