Introduction:The Huila region of Colombia is renowned for its high altitudes and diverse microclimates, nurturing a multitude of specialty coffees with unique flavor profiles. This article takes an in-depth look at two representative beans from the 2024 new crop season: “Hanami” (Flower Viewing), a washed Gesha blend from Finca Monteblanco, and “Hanayoi” (Flower Moon Night), an anaerobic natural processed coffee from Finca El Diviso. From regional environment, variety composition, processing methods to flavor profiles, we aim to help you master selection and brewing essentials to find the coffee experience that suits your taste.
As one of the world’s top Arabica coffee producing regions, Colombia’s Huila area boasts exceptionally favorable geographical conditions and refined processing techniques, resulting in many unforgettable specialty coffees. The two Huila representatives of the 2024 new crop season—“Hanami” from Finca Monteblanco and “Hanayoi” from Finca El Diviso—demonstrate distinctly different flavor directions through washed and anaerobic natural processing respectively, making them worthy of careful appreciation by coffee enthusiasts.
Central Colombia’s Huila Province features altitudes exceeding 1,800 meters, abundant rainfall, and notable day-night temperature variations in its microclimates. These conditions help coffee cherries ripen slowly, accumulating richer sugars and flavor compounds. The region’s coffees generally exhibit bright acidity, intense fruitiness, and full body, making it one of the preferred choices for many pour over lovers.
Let’s first take a look at “Hanami,” a premium bean produced by Finca Monteblanco, grown at an altitude of around 1,900 meters and blended fromthree varieties: Gesha, Caturra, and Catuai, and meticulously processed using the traditional washed method. Although it is labeled as a blend, since all beans come from the same farm and region, it is still categorized as a single origin coffee. The Gesha variety was introduced in 2016, with its first harvest in 2020, and has been in stable production since 2021. Therefore, this batch of Hanami can be considered the farm’s first officially released Gesha-flavored beans.
Finca Monteblanco is located in the Vereda La Torreca region of Pitalito, managed by the Rodriguez Sanchez Valencia family with a planting history that dates back to the grandfather’s generation. The farm covers approximately 18 hectares, with stable water sources and professional washing and drying facilities, so most of its beans are processed via washed methods, with some undergoing special washed derivative processes. The processing flow for Hanami includes floatation to remove defective beans, mechanical removal of pulp and skin, 18 to 36 hours of fermentation to eliminate mucilage, followed by rinsing with clean water and sun drying, ultimately controlling moisture content to around 11%, with the parchment layer retained until just before export for hulling.
In terms of flavor, Hanami showcasesa hint of spiciness from pink peppercorn, the herbal freshness of chamomile, the bright acidity and sweetness of Valencia oranges, the honeyed richness of honey, and the mellow finish of almonds. The overall profile is well-balanced with distinct layers, making it suitable for those who enjoy a fresh, bright tonality and delicate aromas. For pour over brewing, it is recommended to use a medium-light roast, a medium-fine grind (such as BG 6F), with water temperature controlled at 90-92°C to highlight its fruity and floral characteristics.
The other Huila representative, “Hanayoi,” comes from Finca El Diviso, grown at an altitude of about 1,800 meters, with the variety being the traditional and widely plantedCaturra. But its biggest highlight lies in theanaerobic natural processing methodemployed. This technique was inherited and refined by the current farm owner, Ramirez, whose father had already begun developing special fermentation processes before handing over the farm, and Ramirez continued this innovation with his passion and technical expertise for coffee.
The hallmark of anaerobic natural processing is placing coffee cherries in sealed fermentation tanks and extending the fermentation time (usually 15 to 20 days) under low-temperature environments, allowing complex reactions between sugars in the pulp and microorganisms, thereby imparting more intense aromas and a fuller body to the coffee. After fermentation, conventional sun drying is carried out, ultimately forming a unique flavor profile that combines wine-like notes, sweetness, and fruity tones.
The flavor profile of Hanayoi is dominated bythe sweet aroma of strawberry jam, the complex layers of fermented wine notes, and the rich chocolatey finish. The acidity is soft yet vibrant, making it suitable for coffee lovers who prefer a sweet and intense style or are keen to explore special processing methods. Brewing recommendations include choosing a medium-dark roast, a slightly coarser grind (such as BG 5R), with water temperature slightly reduced to 88-90°C to balance sweetness and body.
In summary, both Hanami and Hanayoi, originating from Colombia’s Huila region, showcase vastly different personalities due to differences in farm background, variety selection, and processing methods. Hanami, with its Gesha blend and washed processing, presents a fresh and delicate profile of herbal and citrus notes; Hanayoi, combining Caturra with anaerobic natural processing, releases intense fruitiness and wine-like aromas. Whether you’re a beginner or advanced pour over enthusiast, you can explore the diverse charm of the Huila region through these two beans.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
