Fenix Gesha

As well as producing stunning coffees like this one, El Fénix doubles up as a community wet mill and an education centre for the wider coffee community. Multiple members of the Red Bank team have visited El Fénix over the years, and have participated in their Plant to Port course, covering each step of the coffee supply chain.

This latest release is the primo of all primo varieties, the iconic gesha, and has been processed using the anoxic natural method that was originally developed at El Fénix.

Once cherries are received at the mill, they are hand sorted and floated to ensure that only the best quality cherries are selected for processing. They are then placed into a deep fermentation tank before being covered with a plastic sheet and submerged with cold water. The weight of the water on the plastic sheet produces a seal which creates an anoxic, or oxygen free, environment for fermentation to begin, which in this case lasts for 72 hours. The cold water also acts as a temperature regulator, helping to control the fermentation process.

In our opinion, this process gives the resulting coffee an additional complexity, while remaining balanced and allowing the coffee to shine in the cup, rather than the process.

Once the fermentation is complete, the water is drained, the sheet is removed, and the coffee is rinsed and drained of all residual liquid. It is then dried in cherry for 4-5 weeks on raised beds to ensure optimum circulation of airflow, with the coffee being turned every 30 minutes throughout the day to ensure even drying.

This meticulous drying process contributes to this coffee's remarkable clarity in the cup. It's juicy, complex and a little bit boozy, with seasonal notes of marzipan, allspice and hot toddy to warm your cockles.