Clara Luz Geisha Natural

When I first tasted coffee from Finca Clara Luz, what stood out wasn’t intensity or novelty, it was clarity. The cup was structured, clean, and expressive in a way that felt deliberate rather than flashy. It tasted like someone was paying close attention. That someone is Servio Gonzales.

Finca Clara Luz is located in the Huancocolla Valley near Quilanga, in southern Ecuador, at around 1700m. This is a part of Ecuador that doesn’t get much attention, but it should. The climate slows cherry maturation and preserves juiciness, and the coffees coming out of this region consistently show balance and clean flavours.

The farm is owned and operated by Servio González, whose family has been growing coffee here for generations. Servio named the farm after his mother, Clara Luz, and that sense of continuity shows up in how the farm is run. He is an agronomer and his approach is methodical and patient.

Servio originally grew mostly Typica, but over time he has replanted sections of the farm with varieties like Sidra and Geisha that are well suited to this elevation and soil. These choices aren’t experimental for the sake of it - they are based on Servio’s experience on how the coffee performs in the cup and in the field.

Harvesting is selective and careful. Cherries are hand-picked at peak ripeness and processed in small batches, with close attention paid to fermentation and drying. Some lots are naturally processed, others use extended fermentation, but the throughline is control. Nothing feels rushed. Drying is slow, and Servio is very disciplined.

Clara Luz has earned recognition in Ecuador’s most respected competitions, including Taza Dorada and Cup of Excellence. Those results matter, but they don’t define the coffee. What matters more is that year after year, the coffees are consistent, transparent, and true to place.