Milton Monroy - Natural Gesha

MEET THE PRODUCER | The way Milton Monroy tells it, he was born surrounded by coffee trees. And, as a fourth generation producer from the hills of Tolima, Colombia, that's really not so hard to believe. Milton's impeccable Castillo and Caturra lots, as well as his renown Gesha Clouds harvest, have featured on our menu many times, and he certainly needs little introduction here. Milton inherited his farm, San Cayetuno Alto, from his parents and pivoted its production entirely to specialty coffee in 2014. In doing so, he's been able to fetch higher prices for his coffee, employ more people on his farm, and implement many waste- and water-saving practices throughout the harvest and production stages. 

TRUST THE PROCESS | To reduce waste and maintain a high standard of quality, Milton is present during each harvest, ensuring that coffee cherries are picked at peak ripeness and go through several quality checks throughout processing, such as sizing and floating. And, by focusing primarily on naturally-processed coffees, the mill at San Cayetuno Alto is able to use much less water than many other coffee farms in the area.

TAKE A SIP | From a flavor perspective, this is the kind of natural Gesha we didn't really think existed a few years ago: it's clean, complex, and juicy, all without the high funk factor we often associate with natural-processed coffees. In this cup, the classic Gesha flavor profile really shines, with a fresh florality and fruit notes of lime zest, tangerine, and pomegranate. This is an elegant coffee - perhaps one of the cleanest Colombian naturals we've ever tasted - and a lovely example of Milton's commitment to excellence, both in production as well as in processing.