Panama Blue Label Green Label Red Label Geisha Coffee Bean Story Coffee Bean Brewing Grind Size Flavor Characteristics

Gesha coffee beans (Gesha or Geisha) are also known as Geisha coffee beans because their pronunciation is similar to the Japanese "geisha." Many people learned about Gesha coffee beans through Hacienda La Esmeralda, and this is indeed true. FrontStreet Coffee has introduced in multiple articles that Hacienda La Esmeralda is not only the discoverer of Gesha flavor but also the promoter of Gesha coffee. Later, Hacienda La Esmeralda's continuous record-breaking bidding records and multiple competition wins further crowned it with the title of top-tier coffee. FrontStreet Coffee believes that Hacienda La Esmeralda truly deserves this title, and many later-developed estates have more or less learned from its model.

Origin and History

It is now widely believed that the best Gesha comes from Panama, but the Gesha variety was actually discovered as early as 1931 in the Gesha forest of Ethiopia, then sent to the Coffee Research Institute in Kenya, and introduced to Uganda and Tanzania around 1936, and to Costa Rica in 1953. Panama only began growing Gesha coffee in the 1970s.

Previously, Gesha was neglected due to its low yield. It was said that farmers even used it as a windbreak tree, not regarded as a proper coffee tree.

Not until Daniel Peterson, owner of Panama's Hacienda La Esmeralda, participated in the 2004 Panama Cupping Competition and shot to fame, Gesha began its legendary journey—no, its bean journey. In countless green bean competitions and brewing competitions, Gesha has been the preferred partner for winners, and prices have naturally soared.

Panama's Hacienda La Esmeralda

Panama is located in Central America, connecting North and South America, bordering Costa Rica and Colombia. Panama's coffee journey can be said to have started with a golden spoon in its mouth. As we all know, the Panama Canal was built by the United States and was independently controlled by the US for a period after completion. It was the construction of the Panama Canal that led many American elites to move south at the end of the 20th century—partly for work needs and partly to explore business opportunities.

Hacienda La Esmeralda is a witness to that era. In 1964, American banker Rudolph Peterson retired, moved to Panama, and purchased Hacienda La Esmeralda in Boquete, initially focusing on dairy farming. Later, his son Price resigned from his medical position to help his father run the farm, introducing Caturra and Catuai coffee bean varieties in 1987, establishing a washed processing plant in 1994, and thus having their own coffee processing facility. In 1996, they acquired the nearby Jaramillo estate, which had superior geographical conditions and good original coffee varieties, incorporating it into Hacienda La Esmeralda.

The Jaramillo estate caught the attention of the Peterson father and son precisely because its originally planted coffee beans carried pleasant citrus and floral fruit aromas, different from the original taste of Panamanian coffee. After cupping coffee beans from different areas of the estate, they discovered it was an unknown coffee tree growing at the highest point of the estate. Due to its low yield, the previous owner only used it as a windbreak tree, but the Peterson father and son discovered it and decided to cultivate the coffee trees in this area independently.

Starting from winning the 2004 Panama Green Bean Competition BOP, the journey was astonishing. Later, after expert identification, it was discovered that this coffee bean was the Gesha variety from Ethiopia. Afterward, the Peterson family focused most of their energy on developing infrastructure to support excellent batch separation and fine processing.

Hacienda La Esmeralda's Plot Division

Hacienda La Esmeralda is located in the Boquete region of Panama, which is an important coffee-producing area in Panama. Many well-known coffee estates come from this region, such as Elida Estate and Kotawa Estate. Hacienda La Esmeralda has extremely fine division of its Gesha plots, mainly with three plots: Jaramillo, Cañas Verdes, and El Velo. Each plot is further divided into smaller plots.

High-quality Gesha is mainly produced from the Jaramillo and Cañas Verdes plots. Jaramillo has an annual rainfall of 4000ml, average daytime temperature of 19-25°C, average nighttime temperature of 11-15°C, and average altitude of 1600-1700m. Cañas Verdes has an annual rainfall of 3500ml, average daytime temperature of 16-23°C, average nighttime temperature of 10-15°C, and average altitude of 1600-1800m.

El Velo is the newest plot acquired by Hacienda La Esmeralda, with an average altitude of 1700-1900m. In addition to planting Gesha and Catuai, this plot also has a small number of other exotic varieties, such as Laurina, Pacamara, Mocha, and SL28.

Hacienda La Esmeralda's Red, Green, and Blue Label Gesha

Hacienda La Esmeralda's marketing strategy differs from other estates. Based on cupping performance, planted varieties, and growing plots, they are divided into five major brands. The Gesha variety has three brands: Esmeralda Special, Private Collection, and Geisha 1500. The Catuai variety has two brands: Diamond Mountain and Palmyra.

FrontStreet Coffee · Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Red Label Gesha

Red Label [Auction Batches]

• Growing altitude: 1,600-1,800 meters
• Cupping score: 90 points or above
• Mainly produced from Jaramillo and Cañas Verdes estates, also the highest quality Gesha beans
• Harvested from the highest points of the Boquete mountains, possessing special, bright floral and citrus aromas
• This grade of coffee will be processed into natural or washed green beans, with yeast processing method added in 2018
• Divided into auction batches and non-auction batches

The Gesha selected by Esmeralda Special is what we commonly know as Red Label. Selected from Gesha coffee beans grown at altitudes of 1600-1800 meters, with cupping scores of 90 points or above, produced from the Jaramillo and Cañas Verdes regions.

The independent auctions held by Hacienda La Esmeralda itself—the Gesha batches taken from the divided plots for auction—are the auction Red Labels. However, there are now non-auction Red Labels on the market, which are actually Gesha beans selected from the same plots but not participating in auctions, then circulated in the market. The variety quality is consistent, but prices show differences.

This grade of Gesha uses natural or washed processing methods, with flavors of special, bright floral and citrus aromas.

FrontStreet Coffee Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Red Label Gesha

• Country: Panama
• Region: Boquete
• Estate: Hacienda La Esmeralda
• Altitude: 1700 meters
• Processing method: Natural processing
• Variety: Gesha
• Season: 2022

Processing Method

This FrontStreet Coffee Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Red Label Gesha uses natural processing method.

Hacienda La Esmeralda combines traditional patio drying and electric Guardiola dryers to complete this. Which technology is used depends on the specific coffee being dried, available space on patios and in dryers, and weather conditions during drying.

Whenever the coffee batch allows, the Guardiola is the preferred drying method. The Guardiola can only process large quantities of coffee. The Guardiola is a horizontal rotating drum that allows constant hot air to flow around the beans, thereby eliminating moisture. Hacienda La Esmeralda uses biomass furnaces as the heat source. Guardiola drying of coffee beans allows for better artificial control of quality rather than depending on weather conditions. Patio drying is the preferred method for small batch production. During patio drying, coffee is placed on patios to dry through sunlight reflection. These coffees are spread in thin layers and regularly turned to ensure even drying.

Roasting Profile

Roasting machine: Yangjia 800N (roasting capacity 300 grams)

Charge temperature: 150°C, heat 120, damper opening 3; Return to temperature point at 1'36", when furnace temperature reaches 140°C, open damper to 4, heat unchanged; When furnace temperature reaches 147.6°C, bean surface turns yellow, grassy aroma completely disappears, entering dehydration stage, when furnace temperature reaches 150°C, adjust heat to 100, damper unchanged;

At 7'38", ugly wrinkles and black spots appear on the bean surface, toast aroma clearly changes to coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this time, listen carefully for the sound of first crack, which starts at 8'10", open damper to 4, develop for 1'28 after first crack, discharge at 189.5°C.

FrontStreet Coffee Panama Gesha Coffee Brewing Recommendations

• Dripper: V60
• Water temperature: 90-93°C
• Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:16
• Grind size: Medium-fine grind (80% pass rate on China standard #20 sieve)

FrontStreet Coffee recommends using freshly roasted coffee beans for brewing to maximize the rich flavors of the coffee. Coffee beans shipped by FrontStreet Coffee are roasted within 5 days, because FrontStreet Coffee deeply understands that coffee bean freshness greatly affects flavor. FrontStreet Coffee's roasting philosophy is "Freshly roasted good coffee," ensuring that every customer who orders receives the freshest coffee when it arrives. The coffee's resting period is about 4-7 days, so when customers receive it, it's at its peak flavor.

Brewing method: Poured over in stages. Use 30g of water for bloom for 30 seconds, pour in a small circular flow to 150g for staging, when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 240g and stop pouring, wait for the water level to drop and is about to expose the coffee bed, then remove the dripper (timing starts from bloom). Extraction time: 2'00".

Flavor: Aroma of ginger flower and citrus, with mature fruit, black tea, and citrus flavors in the mouth, sweet and sour fruit tea flavor, with berry sweetness in the aftertaste, and relatively long-lasting sweet aftertaste.

FrontStreet Coffee · Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Green Label Gesha

Green Label [Reserve Batches]

• Growing altitude: 1,600-1,800 meters
• Micro-batch coffee beans from three different estates: Jaramillo, Quiel, Cañas Verdes
• Although not the highest-grade auction beans, this grade of Gesha beans still carries the classic flavors of Gesha coffee beans: floral aroma, fruit aroma, citrus acidity, thick and juicy texture
• Selected from the most perfectly ripe coffee fruits to create rich sweetness, bright fruit acidity, and delicious flavors
• This grade of Gesha beans is also available in both washed and natural processed green beans

Private Collection, commonly known as Green Label, consists of batches not participating in independent competitions—Gesha varieties that are not entered in auctions but still have excellent quality. Selected from Gesha grown at altitudes of 1600-1800 meters, micro-batch mixed beans from different plots such as Jaramillo and Cañas Verdes.

Because it uses a mixed bean model without detailed plot specifications, sometimes the flavor similarity between Hacienda La Esmeralda Green Label and Red Label can be very high, but the next batch might show differences.

Although Hacienda La Esmeralda Green Label Gesha is not as high-grade as the Red Label, it still carries the classic Gesha flavors: floral aroma, fruit aroma, citrus acidity, thick and juicy texture. Green Label Gesha is also available in both washed and natural processing.

FrontStreet Coffee Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Green Label Gesha

• Country: Panama
• Region: Boquete
• Estate: Hacienda La Esmeralda
• Altitude: 1600-1800 meters
• Processing method: Washed processing
• Variety: Gesha
• Season: 2022

Roasting Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Green Label Gesha beans are relatively hard, and because they are from the new season, they have good water activity. The green beans are slender with pointed ends, and the distance from the bean surface to the core is relatively short, so FrontStreet Coffee chooses high temperature rise and rapid dehydration during roasting, with a faster roasting rhythm to express the multi-layered fruit flavors and explosive floral aroma of FrontStreet Coffee's Hacienda La Esmeralda Green Label Gesha!

Roasting machine: Yangjia 800N (roasting capacity 300 grams)

Charge temperature: 160°C, heat 110, damper opening 3; Return to temperature point at 1'28", when furnace temperature reaches 140°C, open damper to 3.5, heat unchanged; When furnace temperature reaches 153.3°C, bean surface turns yellow, grassy aroma completely disappears, entering dehydration stage, when furnace temperature reaches 161°C, adjust heat to 90, damper unchanged;

At 6'54", ugly wrinkles and black spots appear on the bean surface, toast aroma clearly changes to coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this time, listen carefully for the sound of first crack, which starts at 7'50", open damper to 4, develop for 1'20 after first crack, discharge at 192.5°C.

Brewing Parameters and Methods:

Because FrontStreet Coffee's Hacienda La Esmeralda Green Label Gesha has rich flavor layers and strong floral aroma, FrontStreet Coffee recommends choosing a Hario V60 dripper with relatively fast flow rate to showcase its rich layers and floral aroma. For coffee-to-water ratio, you can choose 1:15 ratio—for beans with rich flavor layers, a larger coffee-to-water ratio can actually help us more clearly perceive its flavors!

The V60 dripper design focuses on the speed of water level decline, allowing coffee particles to achieve better extraction with faster flow rates. The internal ribs use curved vortex structure design to assist in accelerating water flow, extending from the bottom to the top, indicating smooth exhaust effect. The curved ribs increase water flow paths to extend the contact time between coffee particles and water.

Parameters: Water temperature: 90-91°C; Grind size: Medium-fine grind (80% pass rate on China standard #20 sieve); Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:16; Use staged extraction method for brewing.

Use 30g of water for bloom, bloom for 30 seconds; pour in small circular flow in the center to 150g for staging, when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, increase flow rate to 240g and stop, when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, remove the dripper (timing starts from bloom). Extraction time: 2'00"

Flavor: Wet aroma is rich ginger flower and jasmine fragrance, with citrus, cream, lemon, sucrose, and black tea flavors when drinking.

FrontStreet Coffee · Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Blue Label Gesha Coffee

The Geisha 1500 brand is what we commonly know as Blue Label Gesha. Selected from Gesha grown at altitudes of 1400-1500 meters, mixed beans from three different plots: Jaramillo, Cañas Verdes, and El Velo. Flavor has slight floral notes, fruit acidity, and sweetness, with relatively less thick texture. Hacienda La Esmeralda Blue Label Gesha is only available in washed processing.

Blue Label [Selected Batches]

• Growing altitude: 1,500 meters
• Mixed beans from three different estates: Jaramillo, Cañas Verdes, El Velo
• Slight floral aroma, fruit acidity, sweetness, texture relatively less thick than red label, clean and fresh
• This grade of Gesha beans is only available in washed processed green beans

In 2021-2022, Hacienda La Esmeralda has discontinued the Blue Label series and replaced it with a new brand "Las Rocas" (Volcanic Rock Gesha). FrontStreet Coffee, through green bean appearance comparison and cupping flavors, has confirmed that this FrontStreet Coffee Panama Volcanic Rock Gesha indeed comes from Hacienda La Esmeralda's Blue Label series.

FrontStreet Coffee · Panama Volcanic Rock New Blue Label Gesha Coffee

• Region: Boquete
• Estate: Hacienda La Esmeralda
• Altitude: 1500m
• Variety: Gesha
• Processing method: Washed processing
• Season: 2022

Roasting Recommendations

Because the new blue label coffee beans have distinct floral and citrus-based flavors and very high cleanliness, to highlight these flavors, FrontStreet Coffee recommends light roasting. The deeper the roast degree, the more these bright tones will be consumed.

Machine: Yangjia 800N, green bean input 550g

Charge temperature: 180°C; Yellowing point: 5'20", 151.6°C; First crack point: 8'30", 181.8°C; Post-first crack development: 1'28", discharge at 190°C.

Brewing Recommendations:

• Dripper: V60
• Water temperature: 90°C
• Coffee amount: 15 grams
• Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:16
• Grind size: 80% pass rate on China standard #20 sieve

FrontStreet Coffee uses staged extraction, using 30g of water for bloom for 30 seconds, pouring in small circular flow to 150g for staging, when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 240g and stop pouring, wait for the water level to drop and is about to expose the coffee bed, then remove the dripper (timing starts from bloom). Extraction time: 2'00".

Flavor: Light jasmine flower and citrus aroma, with distinct citrus and preserved plum in the mouth, fresh and bright acidity, with nuts in the middle section, and honey sweetness in the aftertaste, with long-lasting sweetness.

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style)

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