How Do Esmeralda Geisha Coffee Beans Differ by Label?

Hacienda Esmeralda's Blue Label Geisha is a blend of Geisha from within the estate, sold as an approachable alternative to the Red Label (Esmeralda Special) and Green Label (Private Collection) lots. In 2021 the estate did not release a Blue Label, and the grade continued under the Las Rocas name, which left buyers unsure which series those beans belonged to.

The three labels differ by altitude, cupping score, and processing. Esmeralda added a natural-process version to the Blue Label for the first time in the 2020 crop, dried with Guardiola machines, and a medium-light roast brewed in three pours at about 91°C brings out the label's citrus and floral notes.

In 2021, Hacienda Esmeralda suspended the release of Blue Label Geisha and instead continued this grade under the Las Rocas brand. This article provides a complete overview of the microclimates and plot divisions of Hacienda Esmeralda's three major Geisha production areas, explains in detail the differences among the three grades—Red Label, Green Label, and Blue Label—in terms of altitude, cupping score, and processing method, and focuses on the processing flow of Natural Blue Label and the Guardiola drying technique. It also shares Front Street Coffee's medium-light roast profile, three-stage brewing parameters at 91°C, and flavor comparison descriptions of the Red, Green, and Blue Labels, helping coffee enthusiasts fully understand the origins and brewing key points of this approachable version of Esmeralda Geisha.

Which grade does Hacienda Esmeralda Las Rocas Geisha actually belong to?

In October 2021, a coffee bean called Las Rocas suddenly appeared on the market, and many shops claimed it came from Hacienda Esmeralda's Geisha. What story lies behind this? Front Street will now sort out the whole sequence of events for everyone.

About half a year earlier, Hacienda Esmeralda had still not released any news about the Blue Label lot, so industry discussions began to swirl, with speculation about whether the Blue Label series had been canceled and whether, from then on, Geisha coffee beans would only consist of the two series Red Label (Esmeralda Special) and Green Label (Private Collection). According to past convention, the Blue Label would go on sale shortly after the first batch of Red Label was released, about a month later, but that year the Blue Label never appeared, making everyone increasingly convinced that Hacienda Esmeralda had cut the Blue Label series.

Front Street Blue Label is a Geisha coffee brand under Hacienda Esmeralda, positioned as a high-quality blended Geisha from within the estate. It can be considered Hacienda Esmeralda's "approachable" product line, allowing consumers to experience the flavor of Esmeralda Geisha at a relatively modest price.

In the 2020 new crop season, Hacienda Esmeralda added a natural-process version to the Blue Label for the first time. Front Street Coffee, which loves to dig deep, naturally would not miss it and was among the first to bring in a batch of Natural Blue Label for comparison. However, in 2021, for certain reasons, Hacienda Esmeralda canceled the Blue Label grade of Geisha. Before 2020, natural processing appeared only in the Red Label and Green Label, so the newly added Natural Blue Label in 2020 was undoubtedly a great boon for consumers.

Plot Distribution of Hacienda Esmeralda

Hacienda Esmeralda is extremely meticulous in dividing its Geisha planting plots, mainly into three major plots: Jaramillo, Canas Verdes, and El Velo. Each major plot is further subdivided into smaller plots.

Jaramillo has annual rainfall of about 4000 ml, average daytime temperature of 19-25°C, average nighttime temperature of 11-15°C, and average altitude of 1600-1700 m. This plot is subdivided into 5 smaller plots: Mario, Noria, Reina, Bosque, and Buenos Aires.

Canas Verdes has annual rainfall of about 3500 ml, average daytime temperature of 16-23°C, average nighttime temperature of 10-15°C, and average altitude of 1600-1800 m. This plot contains a total of 9 smaller plots: Lino, Coronado, Fundador, León, Montaa, Trapiche, Chinta, Cabaa, and Tumaco.

El Velo is the most recently purchased plot of Hacienda Esmeralda, with an average altitude of 1700-1900 m. In addition to growing Geisha and Catuai, it also has a small number of other introduced varieties, such as Laurina, Pacamara, Mocha, and SL28. El Velo is divided into a total of 7 smaller plots: Guabo, Portón, Durazno, Higo, Buena Vista, and guila.

Geisha Grades of Hacienda Esmeralda

After years of experimentation, Hacienda Esmeralda found that only Geisha grown above 1400 meters in altitude can display the refined flavor it should have. Therefore, using planting altitude as the main basis and actual cupping results as a supplement, the estate divides its Geisha coffee into three grades.

Esmeralda Special

Esmeralda Special is what we usually call Red Label. Red Label lots of Geisha are grown at altitudes of 1600-1800 meters, with cupping scores above 90 points, and mainly come from the two production areas Jaramillo and Canas Verdes. Red Label lots are processed either washed or natural, and can only be obtained through global auctions.

Private Collection

Private Collection is commonly known as Green Label. This lot does not participate in auctions, but its quality is still excellent. Green Label Geisha is grown at altitudes of 1600-1800 meters and is mainly a blend of lots from different plots such as Jaramillo and Canas Verdes.

Because it adopts a model of blending different plots, Green Label sometimes shows a high degree of flavor similarity to Red Label. Although its grade is lower than Red Label, Green Label still retains the classic flavors of Geisha—floral aromas, fruity notes, citrus-like acidity, and a thick, juicy mouthfeel. Green Label Geisha is likewise processed either washed or natural.

Geisha1500

Geisha1500 is commonly known as Blue Label. Grown at altitudes of 1400-1500 meters, Blue Label blends Geisha coffee beans from three different plots: Jaramillo, Canas Verdes, and El Velo.

In the past, Blue Label Geisha was only washed, but this year's Blue Label lot added a natural processing method, and what Front Street Coffee introduces here is precisely the Natural Blue Label Geisha from the new crop season.

Front Street Geisha Processing Methods

Hacienda Esmeralda's washed processing first uses a depulper to separate most of the fruit pulp from the coffee beans of the harvested cherries, then introduces the parchment beans into a clean water tank to soak and ferment, thoroughly removing the remaining pulp layer. Through water processing, unripe beans and defective beans are sorted out by buoyancy. Then depulping, also called pulping, is carried out, that is, using a machine to remove the fruit skin, and the remaining coffee with mucilage is placed in a fermentation tank to rest for 1 to 2 days to break down the mucilage attached to the beans.

Afterward, the coffee beans are washed clean with pure water, and then the parchment green beans are dried until the moisture content reaches 12% before being stored in the warehouse, with the parchment removed again at export.

Hacienda Esmeralda's natural processing sends the harvested coffee cherries directly to the courtyard to dry. The fruit slowly dries while the coffee beans remain wrapped inside, gradually absorbing the fruit and aromatic notes. The coffee cherries are evenly dried, depending on weather and site conditions, on concrete beds for 3 to 5 days (8 hours per day). After reaching sufficient dryness, they are placed into a Guardiola dryer and rotated for 72 hours to complete drying and prevent fermentation. After drying is finished, the fruit pulp and other parts are removed by machine.

Guardiola is the preferred drying method because, as long as the coffee batch size allows, it can handle large quantities of coffee. The Guardiola is a horizontally rotating drum that lets warm air flow around the beans and carry away moisture. After the coffee beans are dried, they are packed into nylon bags and left in the warehouse for 30 to 45 days. This step is also called "eposo" and helps stabilize the coffee beans and enhance the flavor in the cup. Front Street believes that this refined natural processing can control the degree of coffee fermentation very stably, thereby stabilizing the flavor of each batch and ensuring coffee quality.

Front Street Coffee Roast Analysis

Blue Label Geisha uses a medium-light roast, with the aim of highlighting floral and fruity aromas as well as Geisha's unique and pleasant acidity.

Charge at a drum temperature of 180°C, with heat power at 130 and airflow damper set to 3; the turning point is at 1'32", and when the drum temperature reaches 104°C, open the damper to 4 while keeping the heat power unchanged; when the drum temperature reaches 151.6°C, the bean surface turns yellow, the grassy smell completely disappears, and the coffee enters the dehydration stage; at 7'56", wrinkles and dark patches appear on the bean surface, and the toasted bread smell clearly turns into coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to first crack, and at this point you need to listen clearly for the sound of the first crack; at 8'30", first crack begins, open the damper to 5, develop for 1'28" after first crack, and drop the beans at 190°C.

Front Street Coffee Brewing Suggestions

Coffee dose: 15 g Ratio: 1:15 Grind: fine grind (80% passing through a No. 20 standard sieve) Water temperature: 91°C

Front Street Three-Stage Brewing Method

1. Pour 30 g of water in the first stage and bloom for 30 seconds.

2. After the bloom ends, pour the second stage of water, circling outward from the center for 100 g. This stage can be poured slowly; Geisha coffee is very resistant to extraction and needs a certain amount of pouring time to bring out the aromas. After pouring, wait until the water level drops to half.

3. Just before the coffee bed is about to be exposed, pour the third stage of 95 g, for a total poured water amount of 225 g. Wait for the coffee to finish filtering, then remove the dripper. The total brewing time is about 2 minutes.

Front Street Geisha Coffee Flavor Descriptions

[Front Street Red Label] (Natural) has bright rose and citrus aromas, along with flavors of brown rice, berries, apricot, mixed fruits, honey, and more. It has a thick juice-like body, rich layering, and obvious sweetness.

[Front Street Green Label] (Washed) has an intense jasmine floral aroma on entry, high sweetness, and flavors of citrus, berries, juicy mouthfeel, cream, green tea, orange peel, cantaloupe, and more. The overall layering is rich, with a lasting finish of floral and citrus notes.

[Front Street Blue Label] (Washed) has a soft acidity of lemon and grapefruit on entry, and after the temperature drops slightly, there are sweet aftertastes of oolong tea, honey, and sucrose, with a clean and bright mouthfeel. (Natural) smells of fermentation aroma and fruity sweetness, with sweet notes of melon and tropical fruit on entry, a juice-like mouthfeel, and very high overall sweetness.

Unfortunately, by 2021, Hacienda Esmeralda announced that the season's Geisha coffee beans would only include the Red Label and Green Label series, with a more detailed division, while the Blue Label was not mentioned at all. Many people spread rumors that this year's Blue Label had been canceled. Subsequently, Front Street also received clear news that Hacienda Esmeralda indeed would not release the Blue Label Geisha series in 2021.

So does this mean that affordable yet excellent Panama Geisha can no longer be enjoyed? Not necessarily. In October 2021, a Panama Boquete Geisha coffee bean called Las Rocas arrived at port, and this entirely new brand's Geisha had exquisite packaging. You should know that there are already not many estates in Panama producing Geisha, and after repeated verification by Front Street, it was confirmed that Las Rocas Volcanic Rock Geisha indeed comes from Hacienda Esmeralda, precisely filling the production gap left by Blue Label Geisha.

It seems that Blue Label Geisha has not disappeared, but has simply changed its vest and continues to appear in the consumer market. This batch of coffee beans uses washed processing, and the processor is still Hacienda Esmeralda. It can be seen that the quality of this batch of beans still maintains the same standard as Blue Label, so friends who crave Blue Label Geisha can look forward to it!

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.