Geisha - What is so special?
If you are a coffee aficionado - or even just curious about what is in your cup - you have probably heard about this extra special coffee called “Geisha” (alternatively spelled “Gesha”). Hailed as the “Champagne of coffee” it has been the talking point of the coffee world due to its fascinating history, unique and exotic flavour profile and jaw-dropping price. But what is so special? Let’s take a look at the history and rise to prominence that has brought Geisha into the realm of legend that it inhabits today.
From Ethiopia to Panama
While its rise to fame happened across the globe in Panama, Geisha really has its roots in Ethiopia. In 1936 British colonial explorers discovered and collected a sample of cherries from an area around the forest of Gori Gesha as part of a census of wild Ethiopian coffee varieties. Despite coming from the Gesha region, official reports listed the coffee as coming from “Geisha Mountain” due to a transliteration mistake when discussing the region's name with locals; as a result the moniker of “Geisha” stuck. As the coffee was exchanged between a network of gene banks and research stations, it was eventually cultivated successfully in Tanzania where it was grown and noted for its resistance to leaf rust. In 1953 Geisha finally made its journey to Central America, landing at Costa Rica's Tropical Agricultural Research Center (CATIE), where it was distributed throughout Central America to regions affected heavily by the leaf rust fungus.
Fast forward to the 1990s and as specialty coffee production started to take off, the Peterson family, owners of the estate Hacienda La Esmeralda in Panama, were looking for a variety to plant on their new high altitude farm of Jamarillo. There was one major problem though: the farm had recently been devastated by leaf rust. However, they noticed that the Geisha trees had not been hurt as badly. As a result they decided to plant more and more of these trees on Jamarillo, despite it being at higher altitudes than Geisha had been grown before. It was, though, this high altitude planting that set in motion the events that would lead to Geisha’s world renowned fame and allure today.
2004 to today - Breaking Records
In 1996, as a response to low international coffee prices the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama (SCAP) was set up and with it a yearly Best of Panama auction as a means to achieve higher prices for their coffees and showcase the quality of Panamanian coffee to the world. The auction would go on to be moderately successful, allowing farmers to showcase their individual coffees directly to importers and receive better prices. But it wouldn’t be until 2004, though, that the coffee market would be changed forever.
In the lead up to the 2004 Best of Panama auction the Peterson family decided to do something no-one had yet done. During processing, rather than blending their lots, they decided to separate the lots from each of the farms, including the Geisha grown on Jamarillo. After separating and processing this lot they submitted it to the auction. This would be the first time the judges had tasted a lot made up purely from Geisha. Immediately it blew everyone away. The complex florals and acidity of the high altitude Geisha was more reminiscent of a bright, juicy and aromatic coffee from Ethiopia, than a traditionally more earthy and full-bodied coffee from Latin America. It was obvious that the Peterson’s had discovered something special.
At that year's auction, when the coffees became available to the public for the first time, buyers scrambled to get their hands on this new gem. The price for this lot skyrocketed, eventually selling for around £37/kg, almost ten times higher than the next most expensive lot. Pandora's box had evidently been opened and farmers across Panama, as well as neighboring countries, quickly followed suit, growing and offering their own Geishas in the hopes of hitting gold. It worked; year on year Geisha has consistently been hitting new highs, with the latest Best of Panama auction reaching an eye-watering new record price of $10,013 or £12,500 per kg. For context, at that price it would cost you over £250 for a single cup of coffee!
So What Does It Taste Like?
“This tastes like Early Grey tea,” was what I said when I first cupped the Geisha we just bought from Wilder Lazo in Colombia and I think it sums it up pretty well. Floral and citric notes (think jasmine and bergamot with a distinct tea-like quality) are the key defining characteristics present in all Geisha coffee, with different complexities and the balance of flavours shifting depending on growing regions and processing methods. But one key to almost every Geisha, assuming it has been grown well, is its ability to score extremely highly on the cupping table.
To assess the quality of different coffees, the Specialty Coffee Association (or SCA) uses a 100 point scale applied by trained graders according to a standardised cupping protocol. Coffees which score over 80 are all classed as “specialty” grade, with coffees scoring 84-86 making up the majority of coffees that you will find in modern specialty coffee shops. To score above 86 a coffee must be rather special, either a rare varietal or one grown especially well, often involving more advanced processing. Coffee that scores above 90 is considered “exceptional” and this is the realm where Geisha dominates. Its clean, complex florals with gentle acidity and tea-like qualities result in a clean and very drinkable cup, all qualities favored on the cupping table. As a result many of the highest scoring coffees in the world are of Geisha varietal: in 2023 a Washed Geisha from Panama scored a whopping 96.5 points - the highest I have personally seen at auction.
But it’s not just Panama that is making Geisha shine. Recently Colombia has taken the world by storm with its coffees. The tropical climate and high altitudes, along with a passion for innovation from its farmers, has seen the country become a one stop shop for coffee flavour. Colombia, while not having the same history and prestigious background as Panama, is consistently producing outstanding Geisha and getting well known for it. As a result, in recent years more and more coffee competitors have turned to Colombia for their Geisha to use on the world stage at the Barista and Brewers Cup Championships.
Wilder Lazo - A Really Geisha Geisha
So it is Colombia that we at Saints of Mokha turn to for our very own “Really Geisha Geisha”, firstly because it is exceptionally good but also because we don’t have to pay the hype tax that is attached to Panamanian Geisha. And honestly, having tried Geisha from both regions, at the top end the difference gets hard to tell!
We sourced this coffee directly with El Placer Farms, a project led by Sebastian Ramirez (who also produces some exceptional Geisha himself) which focuses on innovative and sustainable farming practices within the local communities of Huila and Quindio. Wilder Lazo is a great friend of Sebastian and a key contributor to this project. His farm Bella Alejandria has become famed for its advanced farming and processing methods, growing some of the rarest coffees in the world. The Geisha Wilder grown on Wilder’s farm has been cultivated directly from Ethiopian Geisha seeds, rather than being brought from adjacent farms. This means his Geisha is 100% authentic and captures all of the characteristics that a truly phenomenal Geisha should.
We think the coffee speaks for itself and we’re proud to share it with the world, so if you would like to try some Really Geisha Geisha, then check it out on our webshop here!
