DIOFANOR RUIZ GESHA

Diofanor Ruiz – Colombia Washed Gesha

Flavour Characteristics

Best As: Filter Coffee / Black espresso drinks 
Flavour Description: Jasmine, Tangerine Acidity, Apricot, Intense Florality

Origin & Producer Details

Producer: Diofanor Ruiz
Farm: La Divisa
Origin: Colombia
Region: Buenavista, Quindio
Variety: Gesha
Process: Washed

Q-Score: 89.50

Suitable For & Recommended Rest

SUITABLE FOR: ESPRESSO & FILTER BREW METHODS
BEST AS: ESPRESSO (Black) & FILTER (Black)

Recommended rest: For the best tasting results, we recommend brewing this particular coffee 28–55 days off roast.

About Diofanor Ruiz

Diofanor Ruiz grew up in a traditional coffee farming family, where life was closely intertwined with the intricacies of coffee production. From a young age Diofanor was involved in farm work, quickly learning the ropes of the industry, which would later lead him to pursue a life-long career in coffee cultivation. In 2003, Diofanor became a certified coffee farmer, continuing the work that had shaped his upbringing. 

Two years later, in 2005, he was able to purchase his own farm, La Divisa, in Buenavista, Quindio. Sitting at around 1950 metres above sea level and spanning 14 hectares, the farm is now home to Diofanor, his wife, and their son, who is currently studying agroforestry engineering.

At La Divisa, Diofanor has planted a wide range of fruit and native trees alongside his coffee. Bananas, mandarins, guava and oranges grow among the coffee plants, while native species such as Guamo, Guayacanes and Tigua provide shade and help improve soil health.

Many coffee farmers in rural Colombia don't really benefit from access to roasting equipment or machinery, and so it wasn't until late 2005 that Diofanor tasted his own coffee for the first time. Inspired by the experience, he began moving away from traditional methods and dedicated his efforts to quality-driven practices. This change in philosophy has led Diofanor to become one of the region's most respected coffee producers. 

This Gesha stood out immediately on the cupping table. The aromatics are intensely floral, with jasmine and citrus notes that open into a soft stone fruit sweetness. It’s a beautifully expressive example of Colombian Gesha and a coffee we’re very excited to share.

Coffees like this are the result of years of work at origin. We’re proud to source from Diofanor through Cofinet, who work closely with producers across Colombia to support quality-driven farming and long term sustainability.

About The Gesha Variety

Gesha (or Geisha) is often regarded as the most highly sought after variety in coffee, famed for its distinct florality, unique tactility and clarity of flavour. Many believe that the best origin for Gesha is Panama, but as I expressed in my interview with Perfect Daily Grind - it's my fundamental belief that phenomenally high quality Gesha can be found anywhere - reminiscent of Ratatouille's 'Anyone Can Cook'.

The original lineage of Gesha traces back to seeds collected in rural Ethiopia in the 1930s - it's commonly referred to as Gesha, sharing a name with a nearby mountain where it was first discovered. When logged, it was noted that Gesha was moderately resistant to leaf rust, and as such, a number of saplings were first planted in Panama during the 1960s. But various impracticalities of the variety made it initially undesirable - a low planting density, brittle branches and low yield made it a poor choice for many farmers.

It wasn't until the 2005 Panama auction that this variety found itself in the spotlight of international regard, where the Peterson family entered their Gesha into the competition. Not only did it achieve extremely high scores, but its distinct florality and high acidity attracted a number of high bids from auction attendees, breaking the standing auction green coffee price record. Since the quality potential of Gesha was revealed to the world, it has found itself as a staple on the offer lists of the world's greatest roasteries.

About Quindio

Quindio is one of Colombia's most celebrated coffee growing regions - known for its rich volcanic soils, high altitude climate and breathtaking landscapes. The region is home to many world-leading coffee farms that are capable of producing unbelievably high-quality coffees, thanks in no small part to its year round stable temperatures, which result in slow maturation of the coffee cherries, producing coffees with pronounced sweetness, high clarity and vibrant acidity.

The region itself is located within the UNESCO world heritage site, as part of the coffee cultural landscape, yet has also become a world leading hub of innovation, with many producers taking on experimental processing and advanced fermentation techniques to broaden their repertoire, pushing the boundaries of coffee cultivation and output quality.

About The Processing

After harvesting, ripe cherries are selectively hand-picked and floated in water to remove defects. The coffee is then depulped and fermented in water for around 24–36 hours before being washed with clean water. Finally, the parchment is dried slowly on raised beds until reaching a stable moisture content. It's this procedure that leads to the high flavour clarity that is classically indicative of the washed process.