Dylan Aguilera (Finca Licho)

Description

Dylan Aguilera - Costa Rican Washed Gesha

Suitable for: Espresso & Filter Brewing — Best As: Espresso (Black) & Filter (Black)

Flavour Description: Jasmine Florals, Lemon Tea, Lemon Verbena, Candied Orange, Golden Raisin, Honey, Extremely Silky

Producer: Dylan Aguilera

Farm: Finca Licho

Region: Naranjos

Variety: Gesha (Geisha)

Process: Extended Fermentation Washed

Sourced via: Dylan Aguilera (Direct)

Recommended Rest: For the best tasting brew out of this specialty coffee Costa Rica, we'd suggest resting this for 24–49 days off roast — we wrote a coffee blog on this here.

Bought more than you can drink at its peak? Our guide to freezing coffee shows how to keep it tasting this good for months.

About This Coffee

Some of you may remember that we featured coffees from Dylan and his brothers last year. We were so impressed by the transparency, care, attention and endless detail that he was willing to share with us that this year, we decided to offer Dylan a contract to provide us a lot more coffee this year, booking back in February, while our Yellow Honey Milenio was still on the offer list — to get ahead of the current harvest and book some exceptional coffees.

What started as a single 69kg sack led to buying over 2000kg from Dylan and his brothers just a few months later. This year, we have worked directly with Dylan to purchase from his farm Finca Matilde, in addition to farms operated by his brothers at Finca Toño, Finca Licho and El Roble.

Gesha (Geisha): lineage and reputation

Gesha (or Geisha) is often regarded as the most highly sought after variety in coffee. The original lineage 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.

How to Brew This Coffee

Dial-in tips & essential tools

Rest window: follow the recommended 24–49 days off roast for best clarity and balance.

Use a precise scale: accuracy matters for Gesha. See our guide to the best coffee scales here and consider the Felicita Parallel for reliable dosing.

Filter brewing: start with a classic 1:16–1:17 ratio, medium-fine grind, adjust grind to balance florals (aromatics) with citrus sweetness. Grind quality makes a big difference with filter, so here’s our pick of the best filter coffee grinders for home.

Espresso: begin with a longer ratio (e.g. 1:2.2–1:2.4) to showcase florals; adjust temperature and grind to soften acidity if needed.

Best Recipe: The best recipe that we have found for this coffee is using Orea v4, 14.7g Coffee, 250g water, 2:30 brew time.

Explore More Exciting Coffees

Manuel Marlo Gesha – a bright, effervescent Peruvian Gesha with bergamot, jasmine and orange blossom.

Malawo – a washed Ethiopian 74158 from Sidama, with jasmine florals, lemonade and candied lemon.

Abner & Vanessa – a natural Brazilian coffee from husband-and-wife duo Abner and Vanessa, with notes of Hobnob biscuit, pear and creamy macadamia.

From our archive: Matilde – a yeast-inoculated anaerobic VIC-04 from Costa Rica, with orange wine, papaya and white peach.

From our archive: Diofanor Ruiz Gesha – an exceptionally floral washed Colombian Gesha, with jasmine, tangerine and apricot.

Browse all single-origin coffees.

FAQs

What is the Gesha (Geisha) variety?

Gesha (Geisha) traces back to Ethiopia (1930s collections). It’s prized for intense florality, clarity and bright citrus. After its breakthrough at the 2005 Panama auction, Gesha became known for exceptional quality potential — though it’s agronomically challenging, which adds to its rarity.

What does “Washed” process mean here?

“Washed” means the coffee cherry is depulped and the mucilage removed before drying. This typically yields cleaner, brighter profiles that emphasise variety and terroir — a great fit for Gesha’s jasmine and lemon-forward character.

How should I brew this coffee?

Follow the 24–49 day rest guidance, weigh precisely with a good scale (see our scales guide and the Felicita Parallel). For filter, start around 1:16–1:17; for espresso, try 1:2.2–1:2.4 to highlight the florals and citrusy characteristics.

Where is this coffee from?

Finca Licho, Naranjos, produced by Dylan Aguilera, sourced directly by Harmony Coffee.

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What people say about this coffee

★★★★★

"This is absurdly good – Top 5 coffees I've ever had."

— Ricardo, Wetherby

★★★★★

"This Gesha is outrageously good!"

— Nat, Atrium Coffee, Manchester

Text from Harmony Coffee's listing.