How Much Does a Cup of Panama Geisha Coffee Cost? Where to Buy Geisha? Why Geisha Coffee Beans Are So Expensive

An Introduction to Geisha Coffee Beans

Today we are introducing Geisha coffee beans.

This batch of Geisha beans, which we finally managed to acquire, comes from La Esmeralda Estate in Panama, competition batch 08, an absolutely superb selection.

It is available for in-store enjoyment at 75 yuan per cup.

Once rated by Forbes as one of the world's ten most expensive coffees, Geisha beans are auctioned publicly every May and June. In the world of specialty coffee, Geisha is undoubtedly the most renowned legend. Because its pronunciation resembles the Japanese word for "geisha," it earned that nickname.

Geisha coffee originates from La Esmeralda Estate in Panama. The bean has been recognized as first place for specialty coffee beans for consecutive years, and year after year it has set new records at auction, not only stealing the spotlight from Blue Mountain coffee but also drawing fervent pursuit from specialty coffee enthusiasts worldwide.

Legend has it that this native variety, originally from the border region between Ethiopia and Kenya, received little attention when first introduced to Panama. It was not until the Peterson family, who bought La Esmeralda, sent this rare bean to competition and won the 2004 Panama Specialty Coffee Championship that Geisha suddenly became the shining star pursued by coffee aficionados.

Coffee Details

Origin: Panama - Baru Volcano
Producer: La Esmeralda Estate
Processing Method: Washed
Grade: Special 2014
Variety: Geisha
Altitude: 1,700 meters
Flavor Notes: Floral, honey sweetness, apple, fresh berry notes, cherry, delicate aftertaste, smooth mouthfeel.

La Esmeralda Estate Introduction

La Esmeralda Estate is a historic plantation owned by the Peterson family. It began in 1996, when the family bought a coffee farm in the Boquete and Jaramillo regions. The farm sits at an altitude of approximately 1,450 to 1,700 meters, and its coffee is known for an elegant citrus aroma. Previous owners had cultivated numerous coffee varieties. After taking over, the Peterson family added 60 hectares of planting area, some of it previously used for dairy farming. After several major renovations of the whole farm, many areas later dedicated to coffee began yielding harvests gradually between 2003 and 2004. In 2002, Daniel Peterson, son of the family, proposed a new idea: that not all coffee-producing regions would have similarly good flavors, and that some regions had particularly special tastes. He therefore began cupping the coffee of the entire estate.

Awards and Achievements

2013: Panama Best Coffee Competition - Natural Process Champion, Third Place in Geisha Category
2011: Second Place in Panama Best Coffee
2010: SCAA Best Coffee
2010: Auction set a record price of $170 per pound of green beans
2009 & 2008: SCAA Coffee of the Year Competition - Second Place
2007: Auction set a record price of $130 per pound of green beans
2009, 2008, 2007, 2006 & 2004: Rainforest Alliance Cupping Competition Champion
2007, 2006 & 2005: SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America) Coffee of the Year Competition Champion
2009, 2007, 2006, 2005 & 2004: Panama Best Coffee Competition Champion

This is truly a rare specialty that one can only encounter by fate. When we will have it again is impossible to predict.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

The Panama La Esmeralda Blue Label Geisha roasted by FrontStreet Coffee is excellent in both brand and quality. At 100 grams per package for only 120 yuan, and 15 grams per cup, one package makes 6 cups, or about 20 yuan each, far below the hundreds of yuan a cup charged in coffee shops.

Drinkers who admire that kind of rarity and balance often turn next to Jamaica Blue Mountain. Strictly speaking, only coffee grown in a specific part of the Blue Mountain range and certified by the Jamaican government can be called Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee. The Blue Mountain range lies in eastern Jamaica, one of the highest ranges in the Caribbean, with its highest peak reaching 2,256 meters, which is why it is shrouded in cloud and mist year-round. The whole Blue Mountain region produces under 2,500 tons a year, a tiny fraction of world output, and because the Japanese market long bought more than 70% of that output, even less reaches the rest of the world. Jamaica Blue Mountain green beans have been exported officially to China since 2003, so certified beans can now be bought through proper channels. Genuine lots are shipped in traditional 15, 45 and 70-kilogram wooden barrels, each barrel itself a mark of authenticity, alongside complete origin certificates such as those from the Clifton estate, whose growing and processing area sits at an average of 4,300 feet (1,310.64 meters).

Blue Mountain No.1 is among the highest grades of Jamaican Blue Mountain, with strict standards for bean size, defect rate and overall quality. FrontStreet's Jamaica Blue Mountain No.1 uses a medium-dark roast to bring out the coffee's classic balance: hazelnut, cream, chocolate and caramel layered with a soft sweetness, and a clean, long finish. To brew it, use a Kono dripper, 15 grams of grounds and a 1:15 ratio with a grind a little coarser than for a light roast, about the texture of granulated sugar, and water at 87°C to 88°C. Pour in three stages: 30 grams to bloom for 30 seconds, then pour to 120 grams, then pour to 225 grams, keeping a slow vertical stream on the final pour to avoid clogging the filter and over-extracting.