Jhonatan Gasca - Aji Bourbon Natural Figs • Strawberry • Milk Chocolate COOPERATIVE | PRODUCER Zarza Coffee is a third-generation family project led by Jhonatan Gasca and the Gasca family at Bella Vista in Bruselas, known as the coffee capital of Huila. Founded in 2022, the project brings together family heritage and a progressive approach to coffee production, with a strong focus on quality, traceability, innovation and sustainability. The family carefully manages every stage of production, from selective harvesting through fermentation, oxidation control and drying. Alongside coffee, they incorporate beekeeping into the farm’s agricultural ecosystem, supporting biodiversity and creating additional value from the land. Through Zarza Coffee, Jhonatan and his family aim to share both their coffees and their family legacy, producing distinctive lots that reflect precision, dedication and the expressive potential of Colombian coffee. COFFEE | PROCESSING Jhonatan Gasca’s Bourbon Ají Advanced Natural is a vibrant expression of modern Colombian coffee production from the mountains of Bruselas, Huila. Grown between 1,750 and 1,800 metres above sea level, this lot combines the distinctive character of Bourbon Ají with a carefully controlled, multi-stage fermentation designed to build sweetness, fruit intensity and floral complexity. Only fully ripe cherries are selectively harvested before undergoing 24 hours of controlled oxidation. The whole cherries are then fermented anaerobically for 60 hours in sealed tanks, followed by a further 60-hour fermentation in sealed bags. A controlled thermal shock stabilises the process and helps preserve the coffee’s aromatic character before the cherries are slowly dried in marquesinas for 12–15 days. The result is a smooth and balanced cup with honeyed sweetness, berry and blackberry character, jasmine-like florals and bright, fruit-forward acidity.
