Wilder Lazo, Finca La Denastía (Gesha, Natural)

The Details

Country: Colombia
Producer: Wilder Lazo
Varietal: Gesha
Process: 60hr Cold Fermentation, Natural
Notes: Plum, Pinotage, Lavender
 

About

Wilder Lazo did not begin as a coffee producer, but as a veterinarian, trained in livestock farming. When coffee prices fell in 2016 and his father became seriously ill, he returned—alongside his brother—to restore the family farm. Early efforts yielded modest results, with coffees scoring between 80 and 83 points, despite careful processing.
Looking deeper, Wilder turned to the soil itself. Through analysis and precise application of nutrients to balance pH levels, he improved the trees’ access to what they needed most—an approach he calls precision agriculture.

In processing, his philosophy is equally deliberate. While much of what happens between harvest and drying is loosely called “fermentation,” Wilder focuses on true anaerobic fermentation, where microbial activity unfolds slowly, preserving the intrinsic character of the coffee.

For this lot, only fully ripe cherries are selected and washed to remove defects. Then comes his quiet innovation: fermentation tanks cooled by spring water at around 16 °C. This controlled chill extends the process, building body and depth without tipping into boozy intensity. Fermentation lasts for 60 hours in sealed tanks at a steady temperature, before drying over 18 days in a marquesina*. The result is a cup shaped as much by patience as by precision.

Preface Notes; or Why We Chose This Coffee

We cupped this coffee for the first time alongside a few Geshas, including Linarco Rodriguez semi-washed Gesha that we are also offering. What we enjoyed here was the stark contrast between them, with Lazo’s presenting as more expressive, boisterous perhaps. Aromatically, the lavender is most prominent serving as a preface, so to speak, for what one can expect with the first sip. 

In my last home that my family lived in in South Africa, we had a small lavender garden overlooking the river. This coffee takes me right back memories of walking through it, taking in the majestic scenes of the Mooi River where my brother and I spent countless hours kayaking and fishing. As the coffee cools a little, the lavender notes move a little more into the background giving way to subtle notes of Pinotage, a distinctive wine produced in South Africa; a wine that is relatively heavy in body but not boozy. Plums round off the profile, bringing a little sense of freshness to the cup. 

If you enjoyed some of our offerings from Sebastian Ramirez, then this is one that you should not miss.