Counter Culture Coffee - Retail Lucio Luque – Gesha Variety

In a small village deep within the Incahuasi Valley, Lucio Luque cultivates a vibrant coffee parcel, Nuevo Progresso. This section of his farm stands out for its exclusive planting of a unique variety that has redefined the region's potential for quality. Lucio's enthusiasm for this variety caught our attention, prompting us to collaborate with the cooperative and our supply chain partners to separate this coffee from the larger blend it was originally destined for. The outcome is a coffee that captivates with fruity notes of blood orange and bubble gum underpinned by delicate florals.

by Counter Culture Coffee · North Carolina

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The rugged and remote Incahuasi Valley is home to some of the most unique coffees we buy in South America. When we first started exploring this area with the help of our importing partner, Red Fox Coffee Merchants, we tasted samples from a few farms that stood out for their stunning complexity. We later learned this was the result of a unique coffee variety that producers referred to simply as "Inca gesha." There was certainly a resemblance to other geshas we've tried, both in the plant's appearance and in the cup, but there were also some differences.

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Eudis Orosco named his farm Finca Villa Vista—an apt name for a farm that sits at a staggering 2,117 meter altitude with stunning views of snow-capped mountains and lush plant life. Eudis originally learned farm management from his father and refined his practices over the years with help from his cooperative, Incahuasi. From a section of his farm dedicated to the cultivation of the Gesha variety, this is an exquisite example of how amazing geography, coffee variety, and quality control produce a first-rate coffee with notes of blackberry, floral, and tropical fruit.

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This three-pack invites you to explore the celebrated Gesha variety through the art of processing. On the slopes of Guatemala’s Acatenango volcano, Finca La Hermosa’s fertile soils and native canopy nurture a diverse range of varieties, including an entire “Gesha forest.” From this Gesha, farm owners Max & Claudia utilized three distinct processing techniques–washed, honey, and natural sundried–to highlight the full range of complex, nuanced flavors.

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Our relationship with Finca El Puente, which has spanned two decades, is rooted in a shared commitment to quality and a belief that remarkable coffees should be accessible to more people. This year, we sourced a small amount of their Gesha, an iconic variety that Moisés and Marysabel were the first to cultivate in Honduras. Thanks to their partnership and dedication, we can share it at an accessible price, giving the wider coffee community a taste of their vision and what makes Finca El Puente so special.

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Last week’s single origin subscription featured a coffee from the Borderlands project—an initiative that united coffee producers in Nariño, Colombia, to enhance their livelihoods and build enduring relationships with quality-driven buyers. Over time, these groups have invested in variety-specific plots to better understand how high-quality cultivars perform in their unique soil and climate. This subscriber-exclusive microlot is sourced from plots growing SL-28 and Gesha––two prized African varieties.

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Finca Nueva Armenia is the epitome of a picturesque, bird-friendly, and biodiverse farm. We’ve worked with the owners––twin brothers Jorge and Javier Recinos––for more than 15 years, making this partnership one of our longest. This year, we isolated several top-tier lots from Finca Nueva Armenia, including a Kenyan variety called SL28. We’re delighted to offer this contemporary twist on a Counter Culture classic exclusively to our subscribers. Expect a cup brimming with the milk chocolate and apple sweetness typical of Guatemalan coffee, complemented by a creamy mouthfeel.

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Through curiosity and a willingness to try something new, Eladio Chamba transformed his family’s pig farm into one of the best coffee farms in Ecuador. Eladio’s coffee has been recognized in local and national quality competitions and has been a mainstay on our menu since 2016. For the past few seasons, he has experimented with anaerobic fermentation in his post-harvest processing, resulting in stunningly complex coffee. The year's harvest offers bright, juicy stone fruit and white grape flavors, imbued with a soft floral sweetness. Pronunciation: eh-LAH-dyoh…

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Since 2015, we’ve purchased coffee from producers nestled deep in the mountains of Nariño, Colombia. The area has a history of heavy guerrilla activity that, for decades, isolated the community and discouraged collective business efforts. Against all odds, the producers of K’uychi have worked together to improve their farms, conserve their community’s natural resources, and bring us this wonderful coffee. We taste notes of green grape, clementine, and milk chocolate. Pronunciation…

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The Java variety has a long history, with its genetic origins traced to regional landraces in western Ethiopia. As a variety known for producing high quality, the team at Finca Aurora has experimented with anaerobic processing to further accentuate Java’s unique potential. When done well, coffees processed in this way often result in profiles that are more fruit-forward and vibrant than their traditionally-washed counterparts. This particular convergence of genetics and anaerobic processing produced one of the most unique coffees we've tasted from Nicaragua.

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In the highlands of western Guatemala near the town of Concepción Huista, Juana Gaspar’s small farm produces exceptional coffee. As a member of the CODECH cooperative, Juana benefits from rigorous quality control systems that identify and incentivize excellent coffee quality. Juana’s coffee has regularly been our favorite single-farm lot from the group, exemplifying the outstanding quality achievable through thoughtful picking, processing, and rigorous quality control. Enjoy notes of citrus, plum, and golden raisin in this densely sweet coffee. HWAN-uh ES-co-bar…

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Luis Huayhua of Nueva Llusta, Bolivia, continues to be an exemplary farmer—producing some of the best coffee in the CENAPROC cooperative. Dedicated to educating and encouraging his fellow farmers to pursue better picking and processing techniques, he’s a natural leader. This year's harvest is juicy with tropical fruit and cherry flavors. Pronunciation: loo-WEES…

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Tucked away in the secluded eastern reaches of Nariño, the community of Santafé quietly cultivates exceptional coffee. Toldopamba, our partner in the region, supports local growers with technical assistance and quality control, enabling them to reach their full potential. We’ve focused our sourcing here since 2016, drawn by the community's strength and the outstanding quality of their coffee. The cup is big-bodied and syrupy, with layers of cocoa and dark cherry. Pronunciation…

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In 2012, Catholic Relief Services launched the Borderlands project to connect coffee growers in Nariño, Colombia, with the specialty market, offering farmers divided by conflict a new path to prosperity by working as a community. This collaboration unlocked the region’s coffee quality potential and created lasting economic opportunities. The culmination of these efforts is in the cup: Sweet milk chocolate and almond flavors are balanced with a crisp citrus acidity and a nectarine-like finish.

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Some things are classics for a reason. To celebrate 30 years, we’re introducing a mug that’s close to our hearts—Brett’s diner mug. This isn't just any mug—it's our founder's favorite. He believes a great coffee mug should be sturdy, timeless, and feel good in your hands. This is that mug. Holding a generous 11oz, this classic diner mug is designed to be your new go-to. Its thick, durable ceramic walls keep your coffee perfectly warm, while the comfortable handle makes every sip a simple pleasure. Stamped with our refreshed throwback logo, this mug is a warm nod to our three-decade journey.

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Huila is a rare origin for us—most of the Colombian coffees we buy come from long-term partners in the regions of Nariño and Cauca, but this year we began exploring Huila's slightly offset harvest cycle to source fresher coffee for our 100% Colombian product: Gradient. What started as a logistical curiosity led us to Bijao, a group of small producers near the community of La Plata whose name comes from a native plant traditionally used to wrap tamales.

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Want to taste every Counter Culture blend and get free shipping while you do it? Now you can, with our Blend Box Subscription! Every two weeks, our Coffee Team selects two different blends for this subscription. The coffees in rotation include Apollo, Big Trouble, Fast Forward, Forty-Six, Hologram, Gradient, and our seasonal blends. Two 12 oz bags total with each shipment. Your credit card will be billed per shipment. Subscriptions begin the business day after your order is placed.

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Created in collaboration with Bright Black, Awakening is a scent tribute to the landscapes where coffee thrives. Designed to be transportive and atmospheric, it evokes the lush vegetation and earthy calm of high-elevation coffee regions. Notes of amber, oakmoss, palo santo, and red cedar mingle with spice and resin—cardamom, turmeric, myrrh, tobacco leaf, and tonka—for a grounding, aromatic experience that lingers like the memory of a perfect cup.

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Kanelite Estate is run by the wife and husband team Irene Njagi and Nelson Muchiri. This second generation farm is located in Embu near Mt. Kenya's eastern slopes, in some of the best coffee growing conditions in the country. Focused on quality processing and community building, the estate measures success both in cup quality and the well-being of the people who work there. This year's harvest is sweet and savory, with notes of black currant, tamarind and sungold tomato.

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The Intango coffee washing station is owned by Gilbert Gatali, a widely recognized leader in Rwanda’s relatively young and thriving specialty coffee sector. Gilbert believes in coffee's potential to transform lives and his passion for coffee and the people behind it are inspiring to witness. This year, we’re excited to explore how a darker roasting style offers new dimensions to the delicate and fruity flavors often found in Rwandan coffees. At this roast level, we first notice a full and velvety body complemented by sweet flavors of dark chocolate and dried fig. Pronunciation…

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This subscriber-exclusive lot comes to us from the Cenfrocafe cooperative, our longest-running partnership in Peru. El Buen Pastor is a small association of 10 producers tending small plots in the San Pedro community of Tabaconas. Though we’ve worked with Cenfrocafe since 2007, this is our first purchase from the Tabaconas region. It’s a fairly remote area, about four hours by car from the cooperative’s headquarters in Jaen. Over the years, we’ve tasted a few small lots from Tabaconas with notable quality.

by Counter Culture Coffee · North Carolina

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This coffee comes to us via Mountain Harvest, a company working to improve the quality of Ugandan coffee while making coffee communities more sustainable. We’ve been partners since 2018, their first season of production, noting and encouraging improvements over time. For the second year in a row, we are thrilled to offer Makali as a subscriber-exclusive product. Forty-five women in the Makali community produced this coffee. Women in eastern Africa do much of the work to produce coffee, but are not often encouraged to participate in its trade.

by Counter Culture Coffee · North Carolina

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The coffees produced at the Buliza washing station are the result of an innovative collaboration between a cooperatively owned union and private exporter. Just an hour north of the bustling capital of Kigali, producers from UCOCARU cooperative union deliver their fresh coffee cherries for processing under the care of the washing station’s experienced quality team. The results showcase a classic Rwandan flavor profile of red fruits running the gamut from fresh cranberry to dried fruit leather tied together with a delightfully crisp and clean body. Pronunciation…

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Urcunina is the name indigenous Quillasingas people call the Galeras volcano, a striking landmark in La Florida, Nariño. When the Asprocaes farmers association was established through the Borderlands project, members chose this name for their coffee as a way to set it apart from others in the region. Since then, they’ve continued to distinguish their offerings by exploring innovative processing methods. Their latest creation is this anaerobic honey processed coffee, which has a sweet syrupy body and deep fruit tones of plum and red grape.

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