Classic
Washed
The skin and fruit are removed, the parchment ferments in tanks to break down the mucilage, then it is washed and dried. The cleanest cup, and the clearest expression of origin and variety.
Steps
- Pick ripe cherries
- Pulp
- Ferment in tanks 12–72 h
- Wash
- Dry
Effect on taste
- Acidity
- +2
- Sweetness
- ±0
- Body
- -1
- Fermentation
- -2
Typical flavours
CitrusFloralTea & herbalStone & orchard fruit
Common in
EthiopiaKenyaRwandaBurundiTanzaniaUgandaPanamaCosta RicaGuatemalaHondurasEl SalvadorNicaraguaMexicoJamaicaColombiaBrazilPeruBoliviaEcuadorIndonesiaIndiaVietnamThailandChina (Yunnan)TaiwanMyanmarLaosTimor-LestePapua New GuineaHawaii
QLC washed coffees
Award-winning washed lots
| Competition | Rank | Farm / producer | Region | Variety | Process | Score | Auction ($/lb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cup of Excellence Nicaragua 2026 | 1A | El CambalacheAbner Samuel Zavala | Nueva Segovia | Gesha (Geisha)Geisha | Washed | 91.44 | US$67.70Coffee Me Up (Korea), TWO HANDS FULL (Indonesia), Cafe Kreyol, Shyghost coffeelab, Citric meets Malic |
| Cup of Excellence Nicaragua 2026 | 1B | El CambalacheAbner Samuel Zavala | Nueva Segovia | Gesha (Geisha)Geisha | Washed | 91.44 | US$67.80Canasto Coffee Co. for Luce Avenue Coffee Roasters, Terraform Coffee Roasters, CHG（手多多咖啡）, TGIF, Moonway Coffee Roaster, 29 Coffee |
| Cup of Excellence Costa Rica 2026 | 1A | Río BlancoAlejandra Cordero Solano | Tarrazú | Java | Washed | 91.36 | US$200Enwan Coffee |
| Cup of Excellence Costa Rica 2026 | 1B | Río BlancoAlejandra Cordero Solano | Tarrazú | Java | Washed | 91.36 | US$200Enwan Coffee |
| Cup of Excellence Costa Rica 2026 | 2 | El RobleVictor Hugo Romero Madrigal | Tarrazú | Gesha (Geisha)Geisha | Washed | 91.32 | US$80.00Ecofarm Coffee(China) for CaptainGeorge / Terraform Coffee/ nam·é coffee roaster / RightPaw Coffee/Prussian Blue Coffee/咖乐乐KolaKola/Taster’s coffee 南京饕選 |
| Cup of Excellence Mexico 2026 | 1A | HuehuetepanMaría del Rosario Iraís Valdivia Ortiz | Veracruz | Gesha (Geisha)Gesha | Washed | 91.22 | US$88.70YN & Snow Beans Coffee |
| Cup of Excellence Mexico 2026 | 1B | HuehuetepanMaría del Rosario Iraís Valdivia Ortiz | Veracruz | Gesha (Geisha)Gesha | Washed | 91.22 | US$88.70YN Coffee for CoffeeGalaxy; Allyouwant. |
| Cup of Excellence Guatemala 2026 | 1A | Las MacadamiasLas Macadamias, Sociedad Anonima | Huehuetenango | Gesha (Geisha)Geisha | Washed | 90.77 | US$83.00Coffee Me Up (Korea), Coffee Therapy (Thailand), TWO HANDS FULL (Indonesia), Linking Coffee(Taiwan) for 樂波波珈琲 Le BoBo Coffee, HAEWOL Coffee (Korea) |
| Cup of Excellence Guatemala 2026 | 1B | Las MacadamiasLas Macadamias, Sociedad Anonima | Huehuetenango | Gesha (Geisha)Geisha | Washed | 90.77 | US$82.00WAVY COFFEE ROASTERS , GLITCH COFFEE & ROASTERS |
| Cup of Excellence Guatemala 2026 | 1C | Las MacadamiasLas Macadamias, Sociedad Anonima | Huehuetenango | Gesha (Geisha)Geisha | Washed | 90.77 | US$136No Doubt Coffee, COFFEE PLACE |
Other methods
NaturalHoneyPulped naturalWet-hulledKenyan double washedAnaerobicDouble anaerobicCarbonic macerationYeast inoculatedLacticThermal shockKojiBarrel agedCo-fermented (infused)Swiss Water decafSugarcane (EA) decafCO₂ decaf