The Relationship Between Coffee Varieties and Flavor Characteristics - A Guide to Coffee Bean Varieties and Flavor Profile Charts

How Many Common Coffee Bean Varieties Exist in the Market?

FrontStreet Coffee has conducted a comprehensive summary and analysis of coffee bean varieties available in the market, hoping to provide everyone with a clearer understanding of basic coffee concepts. FrontStreet Coffee's original vision was to showcase the true essence of coffee through text and images. With over 500 species of coffee trees and 6,000 varieties, today we'll explore coffee varieties and their common variants.

Four Main Coffee Tree Species

There are four main coffee tree species in the world, but only two possess significant commercial value and are widely cultivated. The coffee beans produced by these two species are superior to those from other coffee trees. The first is Arabica, and the second is Robusta. The other two species are Liberica and Excelsa. Biologically, coffee varieties can be classified into Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica.

Generally, Arabica is primarily used for single-origin or specialty coffee, while Robusta is used for instant coffee. Although Arabica can be defined as premium coffee and Robusta as secondary, this classification isn't necessarily absolute - it's more appropriate to distinguish them based on personal taste preferences. From a flavor perspective, the United States and Japan tend to prefer lighter coffee brewed with Arabica, while Europe favors espresso made from a blend of Arabica and Robusta.

Arabica: Premium Coffee Beans with Excellent Flavor and Aroma

Arabica was the first coffee variety discovered and is considered the best among coffee varieties. It remains the most important variety in the world today. Arabica is produced in various countries including Central and South America, Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia and Tanzania in Africa, Yemen, and Indonesia. Arabica plants typically grow between 2.5 to 4.5 meters tall. They can tolerate low temperatures but not frost, and have limited drought resistance. The beans are relatively large, with excellent quality and mellow flavor, featuring slight acidity and mild bitterness. Arabica accounts for approximately 85% of world production.

Robusta: Strong Acidity with Rich Flavor

Due to quality considerations, Robusta coffee prices in the market are about half those of Arabica coffee. Robusta is currently mainly produced in Java, Indonesia; Congo; Uganda; and Ivory Coast. Robusta is easier to grow on farms, has higher yields, and is less sensitive to insects. The beans are round and small, with a slightly bitter taste that retains fragrance even when cold. Robusta accounts for about 15% of world production. The beans have a plump oval shape, with raw beans appearing as light brown or yellowish-brown with grass-green and yellow luster. Compared to Arabica varieties, Robusta has a more fragrant but lighter flavor, characterized by less prominent acidity and stronger bitterness.

Liberica

Liberica was discovered in Liberia. The beans are elongated, large, with slightly pointed tips, resembling small boats. This coffee variety typically grows on slopes around 200 meters above sea level. It's a tree species with strong disease resistance and environmental adaptability, but yields are very low and generally used for variety improvement. Therefore, Liberica coffee trees can be grown in subtropical regions compared to other species. The quality is inferior, with heavy acidity, higher bitterness in taste, low aroma and body, but its high concentration is an advantage. It accounts for about 5% of world production.

Excelsa

Excelsa is a variety discovered in 1904, originating from the Charli River basin in Africa. The cherries are small, with high single-plant yields, and it's particularly drought-resistant. The product has rich fragrance and slight bitterness, but cultivation is limited.

Coffee Varieties - Typica

Typica is a sub-variety of Arabica coffee. Typica initially grew in Martinique. Central America, Jamaica, the Kona region of Hawaii, Papua New Guinea, and East Timor are currently the main coffee growing areas for Typica. To obtain higher coffee yields from high-quality Typica, Typica coffee varieties are often cross-bred with other species. Typica coffee is famous for its sweetness, and some of the world's best coffees come from the Typica variety series, including Blue Mountain, Sumatra, and Kona.

Typica raw beans have slightly pointed ends and an oval shape. From the side, the beans appear flat and thin. Even when grown at different altitudes, the thickness difference on the side of raw beans doesn't vary significantly.

Sumatra Mandheling

Indonesia's main coffee producing regions include Sumatra Island, Java Island, and Sulawesi Island, with "Mandheling" from Sumatra being the most famous. Mandheling is also known as "Sumatra Coffee." Coffee from Lake Tawar in the north can be called Aceh coffee or Lake Tawar coffee, while coffee from the Lintong and Lake Toba areas can be called Mandheling.

Mandheling has a rich flavor with intense body and vibrant, lively character. It's neither astringent nor acidic, with body and bitterness fully expressed. Mandheling coffee beans may appear unattractive, but coffee enthusiasts say that the less attractive Sumatra coffee beans look, the better, richer, and smoother they taste.

Here FrontStreet Coffee presents four types of Mandheling: Lintong Mandheling, Golden Mandheling, Tiger Mandheling, and Aged Mandheling.

Lintong Mandheling

Indonesian coffee quality varies greatly, but what we commonly refer to as Mandheling typically refers to Typica or its variants grown in the mountainous areas around Lake Toba. Coffee connoisseurs worldwide have commented: "Sumatra Mandheling coffee is the coffee with the best texture in the world." Mandheling coffee beans are relatively large with hard texture. Due to numerous defects, they require strict selection during coffee processing.

Mandheling coffee is an indispensable variety for coffee blends. It has rich coffee flavor, sweet fragrance, pure bitterness, and rich body, with a slight sweetness and subtle acidity.

Golden Mandheling

Golden Mandheling is produced in the Lintong region of northern Sumatra, Indonesia. It's a higher grade of Mandheling, processed with more refined techniques. The coffee beans are hand-picked. Golden Mandheling 19 mesh undergoes four manual selections to remove defective beans. After processing, the raw coffee beans are complete and uniform in size.

Golden Mandheling has a richer and sweeter flavor than regular Mandheling, with intense body and rich concentration. Although bitter, it has complex yet distinct layers. Golden Mandheling is considered one of the most mellow coffees in the world.

FrontStreet Coffee's Brewing Guide for Golden Mandheling

Indonesia · Golden Mandheling
Region: Lake Tawar, Sumatra
Altitude: 1100-1600 meters
Variety: Typica
Processing: Wet-hulled method

Brewing Parameters:
Filter: KONO dripper (for richer body)
Water temperature: 85-88°C (higher temperature = more bitter)
Coffee dose: 15 grams
Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15
Grind size: Medium grind

Brewing Method: Segmented extraction. Bloom with 30g of water for about 30 seconds. Using a small water stream, pour in a circular motion in the center with 95g of water, segmenting at 125g of water. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g total. Remove the dripper when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed (timing starts from bloom). Total extraction time: 2'00".

Brewing Flavor: Multi-layered, clean, balanced, with persistent caramel sweetness in the aftertaste. High sweetness in taste, rich and mellow. Flavors: toasted bread, pine, caramel, cocoa, with slight earthy notes.

Tiger Mandheling

Indonesian Tiger Mandheling varieties mainly include Catuai, Typica, and Sidikalong. Only Mandheling beans above 17 mesh with less than 4% defect rate can be called Tiger Mandheling.

Tiger Mandheling has a relatively balanced taste with high clarity, featuring distinct cream, dark chocolate, and nut flavors.

Aged Mandheling

Indonesian aged coffees are most famous for Mandheling and Old Brown Java. So-called Aged Mandheling refers to coffee beans that have undergone certain processing and long-term storage, during which acidic and astringent components precipitate and convert to sugars, making the coffee smoother. Aged Mandheling has excellent sweetness and is most suitable for single-origin or espresso coffee.

The biggest commonality among the four Mandheling coffee beans introduced above is that they all use the wet-hulled processing method, which creates the unique coffee flavor characteristic of Sumatra coffee - rich and intense in taste.

Typica Variants - Blue Mountain

Blue Mountain: Blue Mountain coffee beans are the most expensive coffee, with clean and aromatic flavor, making it one of the sweetest coffees in the world. Jamaica's coffee history dates back to the 18th century when the British introduced coffee trees to Jamaica and planted them in the Blue Mountains. This is further divided into high-altitude Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee, Jamaica High Mountain coffee, and Jamaica Prime coffee, with different grades determining different prices.

Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee

Both Blue Mountain and High Mountain coffees are further divided into four grades each. From top to bottom by quality: NO.1, NO.2, NO.3, and PB (PB stands for Peaberry). According to CIB standards, only coffee grown above 666 meters altitude can be called Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee.

Jamaica - Blue Mountain No.1 Coffee Beans

Estate: Clifton Estate
Altitude: 1310 meters
Variety: Typica
Processing: Washed

Brewing Parameters:
Filter: KONO dripper
Water temperature: 87-88°C
Coffee dose: 15 grams
Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15
Grind size: Medium grind

Brewing Method:
Segmented extraction. Bloom with 30g of water for about 30 seconds. Using a small water stream, pour in a circular motion in the center with 95g of water, segmenting at 125g of water. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g total. Remove the dripper when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed (timing starts from bloom). Total extraction time: 2'00".

Brewing Flavor: Blue Mountain coffee has a balanced taste where no single flavor overpowers others. It's precisely because of its rich body and pleasant aroma, with persistent aftertaste and sweetness.

Jamaica High Mountain Supreme Coffee Beans

Coffee produced below 666 meters in the Jamaica Blue Mountain region is called High Mountain coffee. It's second only to Blue Mountain coffee in quality and is known in the industry as the brother variety to Blue Mountain coffee. Due to the extremely limited production of Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee, if you want to taste Jamaican-flavored coffee, Jamaica High Mountain coffee is your best choice.

Jamaica Prime Coffee Beans

Coffee grown outside the Blue Mountain region is called Jamaica Prime coffee. Originally, Chinese coffee professionals had a common misconception that only coffee grown above 1800 meters in the Blue Mountain area could be called Blue Mountain coffee. In fact, there is only one estate above 1800 meters in the Blue Mountain range - Amber, owned by someone of Chinese descent with the surname Lyn, whose ancestral home is Guangdong, China. The estate has only 30 hectares of land with very limited production. Blue Mountain coffee is mainly distributed across five mountain areas: John Crow, St. John's Peak, Mossman's Peak, High Peak, and Blue Mountain Peak.

Typica Variants - Hawaii Kona

Kona

The Kona region on the island of Hawaii has excellent geographical conditions. The coffee varieties grown there not only have guaranteed quality but also rich coffee flavor with moderate citrus acidity, high but gentle body, and clean taste. Coffee grown in the Kona region is hailed as "the most beautiful coffee beans in the world."

Hawaii Kona

Region: Kona region
Estate: Queen's Estate
Altitude: 1100m
Variety: Typica
Processing method: Washed

Brewing Parameters:
Filter: KONO
Water temperature: 87-88°C
Coffee dose: 15 grams
Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15
Grind size: Medium grind
Brewing Method: Segmented extraction. Bloom with 30g of water for about 30 seconds. Using a small water stream, pour in a circular motion in the center with 95g of water, segmenting at 125g of water. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g total. Remove the dripper when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed (timing starts from bloom). Total extraction time: 2'00".

Brewing Flavor: Walnut, caramel, berries, plum, plum, nuts, cream - overall clean with rich layers.

Typica Variants - Maragogype (Elephant Bean)

A mutant of Typica, with very large, long, slightly twisted fruits. The plant has long internodes and large leaves. Relatively low yield. First discovered in 1870 in the Maragogype producing area of Bahia state, northeastern Brazil. The beans are at least three times larger than regular Arabica, hence the name. Maragogype has poor flavor at low altitudes but better flavor at high altitudes, with mild acidity and pleasant sweet fragrance.

Typica Variants - Pacamara

Pacamara

A hybrid of Pacas and Maragogype, with beans second only in size to Maragogype. It's an excellent variety developed in El Salvador in the 1950s, with good cupping results in recent years.

Guatemala - Los Volcanes Estate

Region: Viveta Nanango
Estate: Los Volcanes Estate
Altitude: 1500 meters
Variety: Pacamara
Processing: Washed

Brewing Parameters:
Filter: V60
Water temperature: 90-92°C
Coffee dose: 15 grams
Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15
Grind size: Medium grind
Brewing Method: Segmented extraction. Bloom with 30g of water for about 30 seconds. Using a small water stream, pour in a circular motion in the center with 95g of water, segmenting at 125g of water. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g total. Remove the dripper when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed (timing starts from bloom). Total extraction time: 2'00".

Brewing Flavor: Obvious and soft sweet and sour sensations, with acidity of lemon, passion fruit, plum, and plum, plus brown sugar aftertaste.

Typica Variants - Kent

Kent

A Typica hybrid variety discovered in India. High yield and strong disease resistance, but has never achieved good cupping results.

Bourbon Coffee - Bourbon Variety

Bourbon originates from Ethiopia. It's a natural mutant of Bourbon, first appearing on Réunion Island and first recorded in 1947. Burundi, Rwanda, and South America are the main coffee growing areas for Bourbon. Although this variety is similar to Typica, Bourbon is stronger than Typica with higher yields. It has lower caffeine content but shorter plants, very low disease resistance, and is more susceptible to leaf rust.

Bourbon is a sub-variety mutated from Typica, belonging to the oldest existing coffee varieties along with Typica. When green fruits ripen, they turn bright red.

Genetic Mutants - Bourbon Variants

Bourbon genetic mutants include Bourbon Pointu, Kenya "SL28" and "SL34", Yellow Bourbon (Bourbon Amarello), Pink Bourbon, Mocha, Pacas, and Villasarchi.

Bourbon Coffee - Red Bourbon

After regular bourbon coffee trees flower and bear fruit, the color changes of coffee cherries follow: green → light yellow → light orange → mature red → darker red when more ripe. Therefore, it's also called "Red Bourbon." In fact, Red Bourbon is what we generally refer to as Bourbon. Bourbon grown at high altitudes usually has better aroma and brighter acidity, even with red wine-like flavors.

To put it simply, Bourbon is a coffee tree species belonging to a branch of Arabica varieties. It generally bears red fruits, called Red Bourbon. Besides this, there are also Yellow Bourbon and Orange Bourbon. Yellow Bourbon has relatively lower yields but better quality.

Bourbon Coffee - Yellow Bourbon

Yellow Bourbon, with yellow fruits when ripe, was first discovered in Brazil and currently grows mainly in Brazil. It's generally believed to be a mutation resulting from hybridization between red-fruited Bourbon and a yellow-fruited Typica variant called "Amerelo de Botocatu."

Among Brazil's many coffee varieties, Yellow Bourbon is one of the most outstanding quality variants. Regular Bourbon changes from green to yellow to red, but Yellow Bourbon only stays at the yellow stage. Yellow Bourbon grown at high altitudes and processed using natural methods has excellent flavor.

Flavor characteristics: Sweet and smooth fruit sweetness, obvious nut flavors, balanced and gentle acidity, clean and mild bitterness, with rich chocolate aroma and nut flavors, bright and refreshing taste.

Brazil Queen's Estate Yellow Bourbon Coffee

Region: Mogiana region, São Paulo state
Estate: Queen's Estate
Variety: Yellow Bourbon
Processing method: Semi-natural processing
Altitude: 1400-1950m

Brewing Parameters:
Filter: V60
Water temperature: 90-92°C
Coffee dose: 15 grams
Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15
Grind size: Medium grind
Brewing Method: Segmented extraction. Bloom with 30g of water for about 30 seconds. Using a small water stream, pour in a circular motion in the center with 95g of water, segmenting at 125g of water. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g total. Remove the dripper when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed (timing starts from bloom). Total extraction time: 2'00".

Brewing Flavor: Sweet beans, clean. Using semi-natural processing makes the acidity slightly bright but well-balanced with sweetness, some even with tropical fruit aroma.

Bourbon Coffee - Pink Bourbon

Pink Bourbon, as the name suggests, has romantic pink coffee cherries when ripe. It belongs to a very rare new variety, cultivated by hybridizing Red Bourbon and Yellow Bourbon.

Flavor characteristics: Sweet orange, sugarcane sweetness, pleasant juice sensation, cherry tomatoes

Bourbon Variants - Bourbon Pointu

Bourbon Pointu: Discovered in 1810 on Bourbon Island, the bean shape changed from round to pointed, with only half the caffeine content. However, yield is low and plants are weak, extremely precious (mostly cultivated in laboratories).

Bourbon Pointu has two other names: Laurina and Leroy, but neither is as famous as Pointu. It's called Pointu because the beans are narrow and pointed at both ends, while the original Bourbon (sometimes called Round Bourbon) has shorter beans with slightly oval outlines.

Flavor description: Bright acidity, blueberry and vanilla notes, velvety smoothness

Bourbon Variants - SL28, SL34

Kenya SL28 and SL34: Direct descendants of Bourbon selected and cultivated by French and British missionaries and researchers in Kenya in the early 20th century. Over a century, they have adapted to Kenya's high-phosphate soil, nurturing Kenya's characteristic acidic aroma fairies. Top-grade Kenyan coffees all come from these two varieties, but they lose their distinctive character when transplanted elsewhere.

FrontStreet Coffee brews Kenya Asali AA TOP coffee to experience the flavor and texture brought by Kenya SL28 and SL34 varieties.

Region: Thika, Kenya
Processing station: Asali Honey Processing Station
Altitude: 1550-1750 meters
Grade: AA TOP
Variety: SL28, SL34
Processing method: Kenya 72-hour washed

Brewing Parameters:
Filter: V60
Water temperature: 90-92°C
Coffee dose: 15 grams
Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15
Grind size: Medium grind
Brewing Method: Segmented extraction. Bloom with 30g of water for about 30 seconds. Using a small water stream, pour in a circular motion in the center with 95g of water, segmenting at 125g of water. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g total. Remove the dripper when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed (timing starts from bloom). Total extraction time: 2'00".

Brewing Flavor: Entry has preserved plum and cherry tomato flavors, with strong and thick acidity in taste. Sweetness is prominent in the middle section with juice sensation. Aftertaste has berry aroma and brown sugar sweetness, with green tea fragrance.

Kenya coffee grades are divided into seven levels based on bean size, and six levels based on flavor from top to bottom. Kenya's best coffee grade is Peaberry (PB), followed by AA++, AA+, AA, AB, etc., in sequence. Premium coffee has bright luster, delicious taste, and slight wine aroma. In terms of flavor, "Kenya AA" is particularly well-regarded.

According to particle size, shape, and hardness, they are divided into seven grades: E, PB, AA, AB, C, TT, T.

E: E stands for "Elephant" in English, but here it doesn't refer to the Maragogype variety. Kenya E requires 18 mesh or above. E occurs when two seeds naturally mutate during growth. Generally, yield is relatively low, and this grade is rarely seen in the Taiwan market.

PB: Called Peaberry in English, also known as small round beans, male beans, or single-lobed beans, 15 mesh or above. Compared to regular flat beans, among many coffee PB small round beans, these have the most personality, unique style, excellent transformation, and widest roasting range. They are also the small round beans most familiar to friends.

AA: Kenya AA beans have a screen size between 17-18 mesh. This grade of coffee is relatively affordable and the most common coffee grade.

AB: Kenya AB beans have a screen size of 15-16 mesh, a mix of A and B grades. Because these are mixed together for sale, they're called AB. Generally, most coffee harvest belongs to this level.

C: Screen size between 12-14 mesh, considered smaller beans.

TT: Indicates soft beans. TT are light beans selected from AA and AB through air classifiers, with hardness below standard, usually defective beans.

T: Screen size below 12 mesh, usually only fragments, defective beans, and small beans below 4.8mm.

Bourbon Variants - Caturra

Caturra: It's a single-gene mutant of Bourbon discovered in Brazil in the 1950s. Both yield capacity and disease resistance are better than Bourbon. The plant is shorter, convenient for harvesting. Unfortunately, it encounters the same problem as Bourbon - bearing fruit one year and resting the next. The flavor is comparable to or slightly worse than Bourbon beans.

However, it has stronger adaptability and can be grown at high density without shade trees. It can thrive even when directly exposed to strong sunlight, hence it's also called "Sun Coffee."

Caturra is suitable for low altitudes of 700 meters to high altitudes of 1700 meters, but the higher the altitude, the better the flavor, though yield decreases accordingly. There are also yellow Caturra variants in Central and South America, but their reputation is not as good as Yellow Bourbon.

Bourbon Variants - Catuai

Catuai: A hybrid of Mundo Novo and Caturra,可以说是混二代. It inherits Caturra's advantage of short plants and compensates for Arabica's weak fruit that can't withstand wind. The fruits are solid and don't fall easily when exposed to strong winds. The biggest regret is that its overall flavor is slightly more monotonous than Caturra.

Catuai also has red and yellow fruit varieties. Red fruits are more likely to win awards than yellow fruits. Catuai, Caturra, Mundo Novo, and Bourbon are Brazil's four main coffee varieties.

Bourbon Variants - Pacas

Pacas: A Bourbon variant discovered in El Salvador. In 1935, Salvadoran coffee farmer "Don Alberto Pacas" selected high-yield San Raymond Bourbon varieties to move to his farm for cultivation. In 1956, his coffee trees produced higher yields than other coffee trees of the same type. University of Florida professor "Dr. William Cogwill" determined this was a genetic mutation of Bourbon and named it "Pacas."

Pacas has high yield and good quality, quite popular in Central America. Currently, 68% of El Salvador's coffee belongs to Bourbon varieties, with Pacas accounting for 29%. Similar to Brazil's Caturra and Costa Rica's Villa Sarchi. Pacas now constitutes about 25% of El Salvador's coffee production, with high yield and has always been popular. It produces coffee with high sweetness, similar to Bourbon but with brighter acidity.

Bourbon Variants - Villa Sarchi

Villa Sarchi: A Bourbon variant first discovered in Costa Rica in the 1960s. It often appears in excellent cupping rankings in recent years, making it a dark horse with promising prospects. This is a precious variety cultivated through hybridization of Red Bourbon trees. Resistant to strong winds, prefers high-altitude environments, with excellent acidity and various fruit notes, high sweetness, bright and delicate citrus acidity with deeper raisin and nut aromas, high complexity and excellent balance. Also a dwarf Bourbon, discovered in Sarchi village in western Costa Rica's valleys, suitable for high-altitude organic cultivation, with lively fruit acidity and obvious caramel flavor.

Hybrid Variants - Mundo Novo

Mundo Novo: A natural hybrid of Bourbon and Sumatra Typica, first discovered in Brazil. High yield, disease and pest resistant. Widely planted in Brazil in the 1950s, hailed as the new hope of Brazil's coffee industry. However, the trees are tall, making harvesting difficult.

Hybrid Variants - Nicaragua Java

Nicaragua's Java variety, a long-bean variety that's now rare even in Java. First successfully cultivated in Nicaragua by Limoncillo Estate. The Java variety originates from the Typica system. Java's Typica once suffered a severe leaf rust epidemic, nearly causing Java's Typica to become extinct. Limoncillo Estate accidentally obtained a bag of seeds, and after planting and growing seedlings, they took the young plants to experts for identification, only to discover it was the Java variety. Limoncillo first participated in COE with this variety in 2007, surprisingly winning that year's Nicaragua COE runner-up, with auction prices even surpassing that year's champion.

Hybrid Variants - Maracaturra

A hybrid of Maragogype and Caturra cultivated in Guatemala (Maragogype × Caturra), which gained higher recognition after winning the Nicaragua COE championship in 2009. It combines Maragogype's rich fruit flavors with Caturra's elegant acidity, featuring high body, full floral aroma, and high sweetness.

Arabica Variety - Geisha

Geisha, because its pronunciation is the same as the Japanese word for geisha, has acquired the nickname "Geisha Coffee." Compared to Blue Mountain coffee, Hawaii coffee, and Mandheling coffee, Geisha coffee has richer, more diverse floral and fruit aromas, with distinct layers of intense tropical fruit sweetness. The reason Geisha coffee raw beans have become the "star" pursued by many coffee enthusiasts is their high quality and unique coffee flavor. Once you taste such a coffee, you might develop the idea of drinking only Geisha coffee.

Geisha variety was first discovered in the Gori Gesha forest. It gained fame in the 2004 Panama Coffee Competition.

Geisha is the champion among coffee varieties. Whether in flavor or coffee texture, it deeply fascinates people. This is one of the reasons Geisha coffee is unforgettable and famous. Additionally, Geisha coffee has received excellent ratings above 90 points in specialty coffee. It's not easy to find top-grade Geisha coffee beans on the market.

Geisha, because its pronunciation is the same as the Japanese word for geisha, has acquired the nickname "Geisha Coffee." Compared to Blue Mountain coffee, Hawaii coffee, and Mandheling coffee, Geisha coffee has richer, more diverse floral and fruit aromas, with distinct layers of intense tropical fruit sweetness. In the eyes of coffee professionals, Geisha is undoubtedly a deserving goddess. Many are captivated by its bright, complex floral and fruit aromas, multi-layered high-sweetness fruit notes, and delicate soft acidity.

Currently, the most famous Geisha growing region is in Panama's Boquete region, a small city located on the eastern foothills of Baru Volcano. In the Boquete region, the most famous Geisha coffee growing estate is the renowned La Esmeralda, along with Elida Estate and Panama NPGE Estate. Although people around the world are growing Geisha variety coffee, even in Taiwan, China, the flavor still doesn't match Panama's impressive quality.

Panama La Esmeralda Geisha grades are further divided into three types: Red Label, Green Label, and Blue Label.

Main differences between Red, Green, and Blue Labels:

Red Label Geisha (ESMERALDA SPECIAL)

Red Label is top-grade Geisha coffee, also called competition beans because this coffee can only be sold through annual international internet auctions, generally participating in global bidding auctions in May each year. Red Label Geisha is grown at altitudes of 1,600-1,800 meters, with cupping scores reaching 90 points or above. It's the champion of each cupping competition, making the coffee expensive and extremely rare.

Coffee flavor has rose and citrus aromas, with rich juice sensation and obvious sweetness.

Green Label Geisha (Private Collection)

Green Label is secondary-grade Geisha coffee, generally not participating in competitions, but the coffee quality still belongs to high-quality coffee beans, slightly cheaper in price. It's La Esmeralda's private collection Geisha, selected from Geisha varieties at 1500 meters altitude.

Coffee flavor has the classic flavors of Geisha coffee beans - floral aroma, fruit aroma, citrus acidity, rich and juicy texture.

Blue Label Geisha (ESMERALDA)

Blue Label is regular Geisha coffee, La Esmeralda's daily production Geisha, selected from Geisha varieties around 1500 meters altitude.

Coffee flavor has slight floral notes, fruit acidity, sweetness, with less rich texture.

Panama coffee's overall flavor has rich citrus aroma, jasmine fragrance, and nectar sweetness. At entry, the tongue feels obvious fruit acidity, which is gentle and round in the mouth, with grain sweetness. The aftertaste is persistent, leaving people very satisfied.

FrontStreet Coffee uses the latest harvest season Panama Blue Label Geisha for brewing and tasting:

2020 New Harvest Panama Blue Label Geisha
Region: Boquete
Estate: La Esmeralda
Altitude: 1500m
Variety: Geisha
Processing method: Washed processing

Brewing Parameters:
Filter: V60
Water temperature: 90-92°C
Coffee dose: 15 grams
Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15
Grind size: Medium grind
Brewing Method: Segmented extraction. Bloom with 30g of water for about 30 seconds. Using a small water stream, pour in a circular motion in the center with 95g of water, segmenting at 125g of water. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g total. Remove the dripper when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed (timing starts from bloom). Total extraction time: 2'00".

Brewing Flavor: Light jasmine fragrance and citrus aroma, with obvious citrus and preserved plum at entry. Fresh and bright acidity, with nuts in the middle section, and honey sweetness in aftertaste, with persistent sweetness.

Arabica and Robusta Hybrids (Interspecific Hybrid)

Hybrid Variants - Timor

Timor: A natural hybrid variety discovered in East Timor, an island nation at the eastern end of the Lesser Sunda Islands. It has 44 chromosomes, closer to Arabica. However, the flavor is plain and unremarkable. Timor has low acidity and lacks distinctive characteristics. Taiwan often uses it to lower costs in blend formulations. However, East Timor also has washed high-altitude pure Typica. Before purchasing, be sure to clarify whether it's a hybrid or pure Typica washed beans - the quality difference between the two is significant, with the former being plain and the latter stunning.

Hybrid Variants - Catimor

Catimor: In 1959, Portuguese people hybridized Brazilian Caturra with Timor, cultivating Catimor, a second-generation hybrid with super strong disease resistance and yield capacity. However, the flavor is also poor, and it's currently an important commercial variety. To improve Catimor's poor cupping reputation, botanists from various countries have recently returned to cross-breeding Arabica with Catimor multiple times, attempting to reduce the Robusta bloodline.

Hybrid Variants - Icatu

Icatu: A multi-generational hybrid improved variety in Brazil, which has placed in the top ten of Brazil's "Cup of Excellence." In the past, Arabusta, a hybrid of Arabica and Robusta, improved yield and disease resistance but coffee flavor remained poor. Scientists then hybridized Arabusta with Arabica varieties like Caturra, Mundo Novo, and Bourbon across multiple generations, gradually reducing the unpleasant taste of Robusta and enhancing the fragrance of Arabica beans, thus creating the excellent multi-generational hybrid variety - Icatu.

Hybrid Variants - Ruiru 11

Ruiru 11: A hybrid variety developed in Kenya in 1985 that emphasizes yield over quality. A hybrid of Arabica and Robusta, it hasn't yet been considered specialty coffee. Therefore, many suppliers specializing in fresh-roasted specialty coffee, such as Fresh, don't carry these varieties. Ruiru coffee variety yield isn't high, though it currently accounts for only 10% of Kenya's coffee, Ruiru coffee is often sold mixed with SL28/SL34.

For more specialty coffee beans, please add FrontStreet Coffee on private WeChat, ID: kaixinguoguo0925

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