What are the different types of Geisha coffee? Flavor evaluation of Mirasu raisin-processed Geisha coffee, Costa Rican Geisha.

The Mirasu Geisha blend coffee beans use the raisin honey processing method. The plantation owner first screens the harvested coffee cherries, placing the selected fruit on raised beds to dry for at least three days. After the skin is removed while the mucilage is preserved, the beans undergo further drying. Throughout the process the beans must be turned constantly to ensure even drying, but the turning frequency has to be controlled carefully. Slow drying is essential for proper fermentation, yet not so slow that it causes over-fermentation. Through cupping, FrontStreet Coffee found that raisin honey processing preserves 100% of the mucilage for sun-drying, giving the coffee exceptionally high flavor sweetness together with a fermented sweetness reminiscent of preserved fruit.

Costa Rican Coffee Heritage

Coffee was first introduced in 1779, when beans were brought from Cuba to Costa Rica. We may never know exactly who first introduced coffee beans or why, and we may never precisely understand why Costa Rica became the first country in Central America to import coffee beans. Whoever made that decision did the world a great favor.

Unique Harvesting and Processing

Unlike other countries that harvest coffee beans only once a year, Costa Rica manages to harvest coffee three times annually. Perfect growing conditions and vast areas of land mean the country can harvest more frequently than other regions. January is typically when the most abundant harvest arrives, and the workload is so immense that workers are often brought in from neighboring countries to help on the coffee farms during these periods. After the cherries are picked, they must go through multiple processes before reaching the market. The time between picking the beans and preparing them for bagging and sale is approximately 24 hours; processing must happen as quickly as possible to preserve the full quality and flavor of the coffee.

Flavor Profile

Flavor evaluation: the aroma of jasmine, with strawberry and raisin flavors on entry. The aftertaste brings strawberry candy and nutty notes, with a creamy mouthfeel.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If a raisin-processed Geisha appeals to you, the biggest names in the category are FrontStreet Esmeralda Red Label and Green Label Geisha. Red Label, officially "Esmeralda Special," is grown at 1,600-1,800 meters and each lot is cupped above 90 points and carries its own number, with all the beans in a lot coming from a single small plot, so buyers can choose a lot by the fine differences in flavor. Green Label, or "Private Collection," is a blend of lots rather than a single plot, highlighting the estate's signature high-altitude Geisha character at a more accessible price.

For a first step into this flavor, FrontStreet Boquete Geisha is the entry-level option. It delivers the classic Panama Geisha combination of orange-blossom honey and oolong tea, with delicate fruit sweetness and clear layering, at a friendlier price.

If you want to explore Geisha's birthplace, FrontStreet Genlana Estate Geisha comes from Ethiopia, sourced near the border of the Kochore and Genlana Abaya areas. Grown with shade trees on fertile, largely uncultivated soil, the naturally processed cherries are dried on raised beds for 14-20 days. Roasted medium-light, it shows bright citrus acidity, elegant ginger lily aromatics and the full sweetness of ripe fruit, with a fine, silky body and the refined finish that marks the variety.