Differences Between Ethiopia Geisha Village and Panama Geisha - Flavor Story of Geisha Village Red Label Geisha Coffee Beans

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A Dream to Find Geisha's Origin

Before meeting Willem Boot, owner of Panama's La Mula estate, Adam Overton had only a vague dream: to buy a farm in Ethiopia and grow the world's most delicious Geisha coffee.

Why Ethiopia? Because Ethiopia is said to be the birthplace of Geisha. In the last century, Geisha seeds were brought from deep within the local primeval forest and eventually made their way to Panama. It wasn't until the early 2000s that Geisha became a coffee that amazed the world. Another factor was that his wife, Rachel Samuel, is Ethiopian.

Adam had absolutely no experience in coffee cultivation. His profession was documentary filmmaker, and Rachel was a professional photographer. In 2007, they were commissioned to Ethiopia to shoot a coffee documentary. From then on, they fell in love with coffee and became determined to buy a coffee plantation.

Learning from the Master

In 2009, they met Willem Boot. Three years earlier, Willem Boot had purchased Panama's La Mula estate and begun growing Geisha. To learn from the master, the couple flew from Ethiopia's capital to Panama, visiting the La Mula estate to seek Willem Boot's guidance. At that time, no one knew that this small La Mula estate would shine brilliantly in the "Best of Panama" competition five years later.

However, Willem Boot was already known for his pursuit of Geisha's Ethiopian origins. After Geisha appeared in the Best of Panama competition in 2004, he had been hoping to find the origin of Geisha from Ethiopia's vast primeval forests. He organized several expeditions deep into unexplored territories. Though results were limited, he persevered and never gave up.

The Importance of Finding Geisha's Source

Why was it so important to return to Ethiopia to find Geisha's source?

For Willem Boot, finding coffee with flavors as good as Panama's Geisha meant hope for finding coffee varieties that combine disease resistance with superior flavor under the threat of global warming. This holds ineffable importance for the future survival of coffee.

Finding the Perfect Location

Learning from Willem Boot was a major turning point for Adam and Rachel's dream, strengthening their resolve to establish their own Geisha estate. Since they lived in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, they initially wanted to find a location nearby for easier labor access and convenient transportation. However, to meet the conditions for growing Geisha—considering altitude, microclimate, and all other factors—they不知不觉 found themselves looking farther and farther away, finally reaching Ethiopia's most remote southwestern region, bordering Sudan.

This region is Bench-Maji, a two-day drive from Addis Ababa. Nearby are several villages called "Geisha," also considered the most likely original home of Geisha in legend. Bench-Maji was isolated from the world, with few outsiders entering until roads were built a few years ago, slightly improving the situation. The local Meanit indigenous people have their own language. To all outsiders, they uniformly call them "China"!

Establishing Gesha Village Coffee Estate

Accompanied by locals, Adam and Rachel climbed high into the mountains. The moment they saw that place, they immediately fell in love with the land—extremely high altitude of 1900 to 2100 meters, abundant rainfall, suitable temperature patterns, fertile undeveloped primeval forest soil,置身 in a long-existing coffee-growing ecosystem with ancient coffee trees. After three years of searching, they finally found a foothold in this dreamland. They gave it a simple name: "Gesha Village Coffee Estate."

Breakthrough Discovery

In October 2011, the farm broke ground. Willem Boot served as their consultant and flew to the estate. What he saw was less a thriving farm and more like camping on the grasslands. To defend against approaching lions, watchtowers were built on the farm to provide early warning. To explore the forest, AK-47 rifles were needed to defend against fierce wild animals, accompanied by indigenous people carrying spears.

However, almost simultaneously, there was a breakthrough in finding suitable Geisha varieties for cultivation. Willem Boot and Adam discovered wild Geisha in a primeval forest not far from the estate that was very similar in morphology to Panama's Geisha—whether in cherry shape or branch growth pattern, they were remarkably comparable. The growing environment was deeply shaded by trees, with thousands of coffee shrubs growing densely, and the coffee flowers were in full bloom, filling the air with an unbelievably strong jasmine fragrance. Willem Boot recalled feeling as if he was "in paradise"!

Scientific Verification

The forest they discovered was called Gori Gesha wild coffee forest, only 20 kilometers from the estate. Adam believes this forest is the same source from which the famous Panama Geisha was collected in 1930. Willem Boot also believed these tree varieties were very similar to the Geisha he planted at La Mula. Geisha has two young leaf colors: green and bronze. In February 2012, Willem Boot returned to the estate again, and the estate's Geisha varieties were finally determined.

However, for Willem Boot, mere morphological similarity was not enough—he needed more precise scientific evidence: genetics. He contacted Dr. Sarada Krishnan from the "Denver Botanic Gardens" in the United States to conduct genetic comparison between coffee beans found in the Geisha forest and extracts from Panama's Geisha. Krishnan spent 9 months comparing the two Geisha varieties, concluding that their genetic similarity was extremely high.

The Estate Today

Today, Adam's "Gesha Village Coffee Estate" covers 300 hectares, with another 50 hectares to be added next year. They grow Geisha found in nearby forests and other locations, maintaining a planting density of only 2000 trees per hectare. In the first three years of establishing the estate, they planted 30,000 shade trees, which not only help coffee trees grow better but also maintain rich biodiversity, allowing native Geisha to grow freely among them. Processing methods include washed and natural, with washed processing using environmentally-friendly Penagos washing machines.

In 2015, the first harvest at Ethiopia's Gesha Village took place. With apprehensive hearts, they brought the first batch of processed green beans to Willem Boot for cupping. The cupping result turned out to be the best cup Willem Boot had tasted all year!

In 1931, a Geisha was taken from Ethiopia, blooming and bearing fruit in a foreign land, becoming famous throughout the world. 85 years later, a documentary filmmaker with a dream rediscovered this Geisha's homeland, and the world will have the opportunity to know Geisha returned to Ethiopia.

Gesha Village's Internal Grading System

How should one distinguish between Gesha Village's internal grading: Auction, Gold Label, Red Label, Green Label, and Chaka batch Geisha?

Even the most top-tier estates produce coffee with quality differences. To live up to Gesha Village's "flavor reputation," the estate implements a strict grading system internally.

Auction Lots

Accounting for only 3.7% of Gesha Village's annual production, these are the most rigorously selected top-tier lots from the estate, available only through the 2018 Gesha Village Coffee Estate global auction. The 2018 auction lots scored 88.15-92.67 points in cupping, and were further divided into Champion's Reserve and Farm Reserve.

For example, Gesha Village 2018 Auction Lot RSV.6 belongs to the auction lots.

Gold Label Lots

Accounting for only 5% of Gesha Village's annual production, these are the batches typically chosen by competition participants worldwide. Roasters with high quality requirements also purchase them. They have complete traceability, with each batch featuring outstanding and complex flavors, making them the estate's second-best grade after auction lots.

Red Label Lots

These are batches with complete traceability and typical Gesha Village flavors. Their flavor intensity and complexity are slightly weaker than Gold Label lots, making them single-origin batches with excellent value for money.

Green Label Lots

These are batches from single plots and single varieties, featuring typical Gesha Village flavors. Their flavor intensity and complexity are slightly weaker than Red Label lots.

Chaka Lots

These are Geisha coffee blends produced by Gesha Village, including three varieties: Gori Gesha, Gesha 1931, and Illubabor (Ethiopian native disease-resistant variety).

Brewing Gesha Village Coffee

How should Gesha Village coffee be brewed? FrontStreet Coffee shares Gesha Village brewing parameters.

FrontStreet Coffee suggests brewing method: Pour-over

Filter: Hario V60

Water temperature: 88°C

Grind size: BG 5R (China standard #20 sieve pass rate 58%)

Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15

Brewing Technique

Segmented extraction. Bloom with 27g of water for 30 seconds. Continue pouring with small water flow to 122g, then segment. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 226g to finish. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, remove the filter cup. (Timing starts from bloom) Extraction time: 2 minutes.

Flavor Notes

Coconut, licorice, cream, chocolate, toffee, citrus, almond, strawberry, with fermented aroma when smelled. Overall flavor is quite balanced, with rich mouthfeel and prominent nutty flavors.

Geisha and Yirgacheffe

Geisha and Yirgacheffe

Geisha and Yirgacheffe

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