Costa Rica | Brunca Region | Treasure Estate | Black Honey Process Coffee Beans

FrontStreet Coffee Costa Rica Coffee | Costa Rica Treasure Estate Global Only 85kg | Geisha 2018 — Panama Emerald Estate Red Label Natural | Blue Label Washed | Green Label Natural

Treasure Estate (Finca La Guaca) lies in the beautiful Brunca region, roughly 150 kilometers southeast of San Jose, Costa Rica's capital, in a remote coffee-growing corner of the country. The estate carries the name "Treasure" because legend has it that local indigenous people once buried a treasure here that has never been found — lending the place a mysterious charm and a cultural significance rooted in local heritage.

Treasure Estate keeps refining its farming and processing methods. Several years ago it began entering Costa Rica's Cup of Excellence (COE) competition, claiming a remarkable 33rd place in 2015! In 2016, it welcomed its first visit from an SCAA roaster camp team, opening genuine connections with international specialty coffee buyers.

Flavor Description

Dry Aroma: Roasted nuts, spices, tropical fruits

Flavor Profile:

High Temperature: Roasted nuts, cocoa

Medium Temperature: Plum, brown sugar, dark chocolate

Low Temperature: Oolong tea, blackberry, longan honey

Overall Flavor: Brown sugar molasses

Region: Brunca

Processing Method: Black honey processing

The current owner of Costa Rica's Treasure Estate is Mr. Régulo Gerardo Ureña Chacón. For over 26 years, Régulo has devoted his life to coffee. He learned the craft of coffee cultivation from his father as a young man and purchased Finca La Guaca 25 years ago. Together with his wife Isabel and his sons' shared passion for coffee, he built his own washing station, Café Rivense del Chirripó S.A., where all coffee is naturally sun-dried.

Régulo's ambition is a sustainable coffee industry in which the estate's many organisms continue to thrive. Beyond preserving native tree species, he has planted numerous fruit trees to give birds habitat to settle and breed. He practices soil and water conservation to protect springs and waterfalls, and has won the Ecologic Blue Flag award two years running. The estate sits between two important mountain ranges, Cerro de la Muerte and Cerro Chirripó (Costa Rica's highest peak), at an altitude of 1,600 meters — a natural environment exceptionally well suited to growing specialty coffee.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Geisha is one of the most beloved varieties in all of Arabica coffee. Its singular florals and superb sweet-sour character have captivated countless coffee lovers, while its low yield, weak disease resistance, and demanding cultivation requirements keep pushing prices ever higher. If you want a Geisha that tastes wonderful without an exorbitant price tag, it pays to know the different types on offer and how they compare in value.

Panama is where Geisha rose to fame, and Ethiopia is where it was born — two origins every coffee lover should get to know. Panama's high altitude, microclimates, and soils shaped the variety's mesmerizing flavor, and in 2003 the owner of Hacienda La Esmeralda sent his Geisha to the Best of Panama competition. The judges were stunned, and with an average cupping score of 94.6 it shattered the BOP record and took the crown. Overnight, Geisha became the champion variety the whole world chased.

Panamanian Geisha shows an unmistakable orange-blossom honeyed sweetness, lush florals backed by juicy fruit acidity, and a tea-like sweet finish. To experience these refined flavors, seek out the top-graded FrontStreet Esmeralda Red Label and Green Label Geisha — as pour-over, their aromatics are nothing short of intoxicating.

Over the past decade or so, coffee people have returned to Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee, in search of Geisha's original character. A couple built Geisha Village estate on 475 hectares just 12 miles from the Geisha forest, identifying — by plant morphology, bean shape, and cup performance — the variety closest to Panamanian Geisha, effectively the native Gesha, and brought it out of the forest to plant on their farm in pursuit of even higher quality.

Compared with Panama, Ethiopian Geisha shows brighter fruit acidity. Beginners should try the entry-level FrontStreet Genlana Estate Geisha: its medium-light roast preserves pleasant white florals while highlighting the sweet-tart character of orange, guava, and citrus, with a cleaner finish. To step up to estate-level Ethiopian Geisha, go for FrontStreet's Geisha Village Gold Label or Red Label. Unlike the small-scale harvests of most other origins, Geisha Village is one of Ethiopia's few large estates — sitting right beside the primeval Geisha forest with strict quality control and standardized management, its Geisha stands out even more, a pour-over must for advancing enthusiasts.