Guatemala | Finca El Injerto | Competition Lot 2018 Geisha El-06-01

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FrontStreet Coffee Recommends Gesha 2018 — Legendary Gesha, in the Company of La Esmeralda

Guatemala El Injerto Estate Auction Lot 2018 Geisha El-06-01

Coffee Bean Region: Huehuetenango

Estate Founded: 1874

Estate Size: 720 hectares

Planting Area: 245 hectares

Annual Rainfall: Approximately 1,500 millimeters

Average Temperature: Approximately 13-26°C

Planting Altitude: 1,810 meters

Coffee Variety: Geisha

Grading Standard: SHB

Soil Type: Clay loam

Coffee Processing Method: Washed

Harvesting Method: Manual harvesting

Certifications: Rainforest Alliance, Zero carbon footprint

Harvest Year: 2018

Awards and Recognition

2004: Second Place, Best Coffee of the Year, Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA)

2015, 2013, 2012, 2010, 2009, 2008: First Place, Cup of Excellence

2017, 2014: Second Place, Cup of Excellence

2016: Third Place, Cup of Excellence

2018 Guatemala El Injerto Estate EI06-01: Legendary Gesha

A century-old estate on par with Hacienda La Esmeralda! Its Geisha variety also traces back to La Esmeralda.

The variety was brought directly from Panama's famous Hacienda La Esmeralda by the estate's owner, Aguirre Sr.—hence the name "Legendary Gesha."

The estate sits in the stunning coffee region of Huehuetenango, a land of steep peaks and narrow valleys, receiving warm air currents from the neighboring lowland valleys of Mexico. That warm air heats the mountainsides, enabling coffee to grow at such high altitudes—which would otherwise be impossible at this northern latitude. El Injerto has rapidly become a world legend for coffee quality, winning more Cup of Excellence awards than any other estate worldwide.

They attend to every detail of the process: cherry flotation, fermentation, soaking, drying, proper storage, and their own processing facilities.

El Injerto has long been a pioneer of specialty coffee in Central America. Roughly 50 years ago it was among the first estates to focus on single varieties and vertically integrated production of high-quality coffee. The estate spans 720 hectares, mostly between 1,500 to 2,000 meters above sea level, growing coffee, fruits, staple crops, and ornamental plants. The remaining land is preserved as thousand-year-old virgin forest, which moderates the estate's temperature and supplies clean water straight from mountain springs—while creating a perfect wildlife habitat, so that coffee cultivation exists within an ecosystem that protects the natural environment. This lot was washed: fully fermented in water for 24 hours, then dried on African raised beds.

Cupping Notes

Dry Aroma: Citrus, lemon, honey, florals, honey peach

Wet Aroma: Guava, lavender, bergamot, eucalyptus

Taste: Lemon and oolong tea notes; a perfect marriage of citrus and stone fruit bringing sweetness, with a unique, memorable aftertaste.

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FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

For a taste of world-class Gesha, FrontStreet Coffee recommends:

FrontStreet Coffee Esmeralda Red-Label Gesha (Esmeralda Special) — Grown at 1600-1800m, every batch must cup above 90 points, and each numbered batch comes entirely from a single plot—our Red Label comes from the Jaramillo plot—so buyers can pick the batch that matches their flavor preferences. The classic Panamanian profile: orange-blossom honey, fragrant florals, juicy fruit acidity and sweetness, and a tea-like sweet finish.

FrontStreet Coffee Esmeralda Green-Label Gesha (Private Collection) — The same estate's more approachable line: rather than single plots, it blends lots from multiple high-elevation plots to express Esmeralda's signature Gesha character. Slightly gentler on the wallet with the unmistakable orange-honey perfume—excellent value. Brew tip for either: medium-light roast, grind to about 78% pass-through on a #20 sieve (fine-granulated sugar), 91°C water, 15g in a Hario V60 at 1:16, three-pour method with a 30g/30-second bloom and total extraction around 2'10"–2'20".