What Variety is Geisha Coffee? Is it Arabica? Introduction to Geisha Coffee's Flavor Profile and Taste Characteristics

The Geisha variety was first discovered in the forests of the Gesha region of Ethiopia in 1931, making it a member of the Arabica family (Ethiopian lineage). Later, Geisha seedlings were transferred to research institutes in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and other countries for trial cultivation. In 1953, the Geisha variety arrived at the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) in Costa Rica, where it was recorded as T2722. Although Geisha had cultivation records on several local farms, it did not gain favor among farmers due to its brittle branches and low yield. Instead, it was continuously used for experiments and new variety breeding, and thus was not widely cultivated.

Starting in the 1960s, CATIE began distributing T2722 Geisha to Panamanian coffee farmers, and Geisha truly began to set foot in the fertile land of Panama. From the 1990s onward, the Peterson family, owners of Hacienda La Esmeralda, began to focus on coffee production and acquired a new high-altitude farm in Jaramillo. However, many coffee trees on the farm were affected by leaf rust disease. At this time, third-generation farm owner Daniel Peterson noticed that the Geisha trees were not seriously damaged, so they decided to transplant the Geisha, which had been mixed with other varieties, to more areas of the farm while increasing its cultivation altitude.

It wasn't until around 2000 that Hacienda La Esmeralda finally discovered the potential of Geisha. When they first cupped it, they clearly felt that unique and charming flavor, reminiscent of refreshing fruit tea with a perfume-like quality. They spent several years separating these unique-flavored varieties and studying their origins. Then in 2004, they entered this variety in the Best of Panama (BOP) competition, where it won first place, and Geisha became famous overnight.

The Birth of Geisha Village

After the Geisha variety became famous, some coffee enthusiasts traveled to the Gesha region forests where Geisha coffee was first discovered, searching for native varieties with characteristics similar to the renowned Geisha. It wasn't until 2010 that they found native varieties related to Panamanian Geisha, and thus established "Geisha Village" in this area. Although both are called Geisha, one is an excellent variety that took 40 years to be discovered after taking root in Panama. The plant itself continuously optimizes and changes to adapt to the terroir and climate of a region. In contrast, Ethiopian Geisha varieties have grown alongside countless native old coffee trees and never left the region. This means that in terms of both genetics and flavor, they are actually closer to the original Ethiopian varieties.

As the ancient saying goes, "When orange trees grow south of the Huai River, they bear sweet oranges; when grown north, they bear bitter citrons." Panamanian Geisha and Ethiopian Geisha are actually two different varieties.

Physical and Flavor Differences

In terms of physical appearance, Panamanian Geisha and Ethiopian Geisha also have significant differences. Panamanian Geisha's green beans are more easily identifiable: "pointed at both ends, elongated, plump and full-bodied, with large particles." Ethiopian Geisha, on the other hand, is "slightly smaller in size and not as long in shape."

According to comparisons by FrontStreet Coffee, under the conditions of both being natural processed and traceable to specific plots, the Panamanian Hacienda La Esmeralda Mario plot Red Label Geisha coffee beans exhibit flavors of: mature strawberries, roses, black tea, and sweet-tart grapefruit in a floral-fruity tea profile, with berry sweetness in the aftertaste and a lingering sweet finish.

Meanwhile, the natural processed Geisha coffee beans from Ethiopia's Geisha Village Oma plot exhibit flavors of sweet and fragrant berry aromas, full and rich mouthfeel with some nutty flavors, and an aftertaste with muskmelon notes and tea-like sensations.

Currently, both "Geisha Village Gold Label" and "Esmeralda Red Label" on FrontStreet Coffee's menu are natural processed batches. The most expensive Red Label comes from the Buenos Aires plot of Hacienda La Esmeralda Jaramillo, while the Gold Label comes from the Oma plot of Geisha Village Estate.

Comparative Cupping Analysis

Next, let's temporarily set aside price considerations and compare these two top-tier Geishas representing their respective estates through comparative brewing and tasting to see which one truly excels in flavor. The brewing parameters are: 15g coffee, EK43 grind setting 10, 80% pass-through rate with #20 sieve screen, 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, 92°C water temperature, three-stage pour, V60 dripper.

Dry Aroma: The Gold Label Geisha coffee grounds have very bright citrus fruit aromas, with a fresh orange peel-like fragrance that is quite appealing. The Esmeralda Red Label Geisha, on the other hand, is dominated by round, sweet aromas of roses, preserved fruits, and apricots, accompanied by some nutty and toffee characteristics, emphasizing the concept of "sweetness."

Flavor: The freshly brewed Gold Label Geisha exhibits uplifting flavors of blueberry, sweet cherry, honeydew melon, and magnolia flowers, with overall bright acidity that is clean and elegant. As the temperature slightly decreases, it begins to present a unique aftertaste reminiscent of aged tangerine peel tea. The Esmeralda Red Label Geisha has a pleasant floral aroma when smelled, and immediately delivers rich tropical fruit notes when tasted. With careful savoring, there are also flavors of jasmine, cranberry, dried mango, and fruit candy. The fragrant finish is full-bodied without astringency, leaving a very comfortable feeling after drinking. Through direct comparison, FrontStreet Coffee believes that in terms of flavor complexity, the Esmeralda Red Label Geisha indeed has a slight edge.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473