Nav: Home > Coffee >

Blue Label Geisha Flavor Description - Which Brand of Panama Geisha Blue Label Coffee is Best

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Professional barista communication Follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account cafe_style) Panama Emerald Manor Geisha coffee beans The Geisha variety was discovered in 1931 from the Geisha forest in Ethiopia, then sent to the Coffee Research Institute in Kenya; introduced to Uganda and Tanzania in 1936, and to Costa Rica in 1953, but it hasn't received much attention

For professional barista communication, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style)

Panama·Hacienda La Esmeralda Geisha Coffee Beans

The Geisha variety was discovered in 1931 from the Geisha forest in Ethiopia and then sent to the Coffee Research Institute in Kenya. In 1936, it was introduced to Uganda and Tanzania, and in 1953, Costa Rica introduced it. For a long time, not many people paid attention to Geisha until one day, Don Pachi initially brought it from the small town of GESHA in southwestern Ethiopia to Costa Rica. Afterward, Geisha entered Panama along the southern route, where Panama's Hacienda La Esmeralda separated it from other varieties and won the national coffee championship.

Flavor Description

Oolong tea fragrance, peach aroma, honey scent, refreshing and comfortable, bright yet balanced, with extremely strong aromatic layers. The entire aroma is wrapped in caramel sweetness. Upon entry, the tongue feels distinct fruit acidity, while in the mouth it's gentle and rounded, with strong fruit sweetness and aftertaste, like drinking a sip of fresh fruit tea that nourishes the heart. The lower the temperature, the more delicate the acidity. The flavor is also quite persistent, making one feel deeply satisfied!

Geisha is pronounced the same as the Japanese word for geisha, hence it's also known as Geisha coffee. Because the tree variety is taller than typical coffee trees, it was originally planted in a small area within the estate and used as a windbreak. The owner's son, seeking to participate in the annual Best of Panama competition, tested all coffee tree varieties throughout the estate, giving Geisha the opportunity to make its debut. It later participated in various world coffee competitions, winning a total of eleven championships.

Geisha possesses full sweetness, an extremely clean mouthfeel, and rich aromas that extend from berries and citrus to mango, papaya, and peach flavors. A very distinct bergamot-like aftertaste is also its typical cupping characteristic. To date, Geisha has remained the champion among coffee varieties.

Panama is the most important region on the world coffee map. Here, annual auction beans fetch high prices of hundreds of dollars.

Awards Record

(The following are the award records of Hacienda La Esmeralda):

Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) Annual Cupping Competition Champion)

1st Place Specialty Coffee Association of America

Roasters Guild Cupping Pavilion)

Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) Annual Cupping Competition Second Place)

2nd Place Coffee of the Year)

Best of Panama Champion)

1st Place "Best of Panama"

Rainforest Alliance Coffee Quality Cupping Competition Champion

1st Place Rainforest A for Quality

Panama Geisha (Hacienda La Esmeralda)

Origin: Panama

Region: Located on the slopes of Baru Volcano, the highest peak in western Panama

Estate: Hacienda La Esmeralda

Grade: Blue Label

Growing Altitude: 1450M

Processing Method: Fine washed processing

Special Certification: Green Rainforest Certification

Roast Level: Light roast city-

What is the Panama Coffee Auction?

In 1996, during the lowest period of international coffee prices, seven coffee estates in the Boquete and Volcan regions saw the dawn of the specialty coffee era. They organized and formed the famous Association of Special Coffees of Panama (SCAP). In 2013, the highest bid for washed Geisha in the BOP (Best of Panama) exceeded $160 per pound, while the highest bid for natural Geisha was won by a natural Geisha from Hacienda La Esmeralda at over $350 per pound.

Hacienda La Esmeralda Geisha has three brands, divided by altitude:

Auction Geisha (ESMERALDA SPECIAL) (Red Label), selected from altitudes above 1550 meters.

Boquete Geisha (Green Label), Geisha selected from 1500 meters.

(ESMERALDA 1,500) (Blue Label) selected from Geisha varieties around 1500 meters altitude.

Pour-over Blue Label

15g coffee grounds, medium-fine grind (Fuji ghost tooth blade 3.5 grind), V60 dripper, 91-93°C water temperature. First infusion with 30g water, let bloom for 27 seconds. Pour to 105g and stop, wait until the water level drops to half, then continue pouring slowly until reaching 225g. Avoid the tail section. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00.