Why Did Esmeralda Halt Its Panamanian Geisha Coffee Tier?

In the 2020 harvest season, Hacienda Esmeralda released a sun-dried Blue Label Geisha for the first time, and the tier had long let drinkers taste Panamanian Geisha coffee at a modest price. In 2021 the estate discontinued Blue Label entirely, drawing wide attention. Before 2020, only the Red Label and Green Label offered sun-dried Geisha.

Esmeralda divides its Geisha plantings into three main plots: Jaramillo, Canas Verdes, and El Velo, each split into smaller parcels with their own rainfall, temperatures, and altitudes. Jaramillo sees about 4,000 millimeters of annual rain at 1,600 to 1,700 meters, while Canas Verdes gets roughly 3,500 millimeters at 1,600 to 1,800 meters. Blue Label later returned under a new brand name, Las Rocas.

In the 2020 harvest season, Hacienda Esmeralda introduced a sun-dried Blue Label Geisha for the first time, and Front Street Coffee was the first to bring it in for comparison. Blue Label has always allowed enthusiasts to experience the charm of Hacienda Esmeralda Geisha at an accessible price. However, in 2021, Hacienda Esmeralda suddenly discontinued the Blue Label tier, sparking widespread attention. This article provides a detailed overview of Hacienda Esmeralda's three major plot distributions, its Geisha grading system, washed and sun-dried processing methods, along with Front Street Coffee's roasting and brewing recommendations. At the end, it reveals news of Blue Label's return to the market under the new brand Las Rocas, bringing a pleasant surprise to readers who love affordable Panamanian Geisha.

In the new 2020 harvest season, Hacienda Esmeralda made the unprecedented move of releasing a sun-dried version of Blue Label Geisha. Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee), ever eager to explore, naturally did not miss out and was the first to bring in a batch of sun-dried Blue Label for comparative tasting. Blue Label Geisha has always been regarded as Hacienda Esmeralda's "accessible" series, allowing consumers to experience the unique charm of Hacienda Esmeralda Geisha at a relatively modest price. However, in 2021, for certain unknown reasons, Hacienda Esmeralda directly discontinued the Blue Label tier. It is worth mentioning that before 2020, the estate's Geisha only offered sun-dried versions for Red Label and Green Label; the addition of sun-dried Blue Label in 2020 undoubtedly brought consumers an extra surprise.

Hacienda Esmeralda Plot Distribution

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

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

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

El Velo is the most recently acquired plot by Hacienda Esmeralda, with an average altitude of 1700-1900m. In addition to growing Geisha and Catuai, this plot also cultivates a small number of other exotic 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.

Hacienda Esmeralda Geisha Grades

After years of experimentation, Hacienda Esmeralda discovered that only Geisha grown above 1400 meters in elevation can display its deserved exquisite flavors. Therefore, the estate classifies its Geisha coffee into three grades based primarily on growing altitude, supplemented by actual cupping results.

Esmeralda Special

Esmeralda Special, commonly known as Red Label. Red Label Geisha is grown at 1600-1800 meters in elevation, scores above 90 points in cupping, and is mainly produced from the Jaramillo and Canas Verdes regions. Red Label batches are available in washed or sun-dried processing and can only be obtained through global auctions.

Private Collection

Private Collection, commonly known as Green Label. Green Label batches do not participate in auctions, but their quality remains excellent. Green Label Geisha is grown at 1600-1800 meters in elevation and is mainly blended from batches originating from different plots such as Jaramillo and Canas Verdes.

Due to the practice of blending from different plots, Green Label and Red Label sometimes exhibit highly similar flavors. Although Green Label is not as high-grade as Red Label, it still carries the classic flavors of Geisha — floral notes, fruity notes, citrus acidity, and a thick, juicy mouthfeel. Green Label batches are likewise available in washed or sun-dried processing.

Geisha1500

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

In the past, Blue Label Geisha was only available in washed processing, but this year's Blue Label batches added a sun-dried processing method. Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) is introducing precisely this year's new harvest sun-dried Blue Label Geisha.

Geisha Processing Methods

Hacienda Esmeralda's washed processing begins by using a depulper to separate most of the fruit flesh from the coffee beans of the harvested cherries, then introducing the parchment beans into a clean water tank and soaking them in water for fermentation to thoroughly remove the remaining mucilage layer. Through water processing, unripe beans and defective beans are sorted out due to buoyancy, then depulping is carried out — that is, using a machine to remove the fruit skin. The remaining coffee with mucilage is placed in a fermentation tank to rest and ferment for 1 to 2 days to break down the mucilage adhering to the coffee beans.

The coffee beans are then rinsed clean with fresh water, and the parchment green beans are dried until they reach a moisture content of 12% for storage; the parchment is removed at the time of export.

Hacienda Esmeralda's sun-dried processing involves sending the harvested coffee cherries directly to a patio to dry. The coffee cherries slowly dry while the coffee beans remain wrapped inside, fully absorbing the fruit and aromatic notes. The coffee cherries are evenly dried. Depending on weather and site conditions, the coffee is dried on concrete beds for 3 to 5 days (8 hours per day). Once sufficient dryness is reached, it is placed in a Guardiola dryer and rotated for 72 hours to complete the drying process and prevent fermentation. After drying is complete, a machine is used to remove the fruit flesh and other parts.

The Guardiola is the preferred drying method; as long as coffee batch sizes allow, the Guardiola can handle large volumes of coffee. The Guardiola is a horizontally rotating drum that allows warm air to flow around the beans, eliminating moisture. After the coffee beans are dried, they are placed in nylon bags and left in the warehouse for 30 to 45 days. This step is also called "eposo," which helps stabilize the coffee beans and enhance the flavor in the cup. Front Street believes this refined sun-dried processing can very stably control the degree of coffee fermentation, thereby stabilizing the flavor of each batch and ensuring coffee quality.

Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) Roasting Analysis

Blue Label Geisha uses a medium-light roast, aiming to highlight the floral and fruity aromas and the uniquely pleasant acidity of Geisha.

Charge at a drum temperature of 180°C, with a gas setting of 130 and the damper opened to 3; the turning point is at 1'32". When the drum temperature reaches 104°C, open the damper to 4 while keeping the gas unchanged; when the drum temperature reaches 151.6°C, the bean surface turns yellow, the grassy smell completely disappears, and the dehydration phase begins. At 7'56", the bean surface develops ugly wrinkles and dark streaks, and the toasted bread aroma noticeably shifts to coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this point, listen carefully for the sound of the first crack. First crack begins at 8'30", open the damper to 5; develop for 1'28" after first crack, and drop the beans at 190°C.

Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) Brewing Recommendations

Coffee dose: 15g

Ratio: 1:15

Grind: fine grind (80% passing a No. 20 standard sieve)

Water temperature: 91°C

Front Street Three-Pour Brewing Method

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

2. After the bloom, pour the second pour, circling from the center outward with 100g of water. This pour can be done slowly; Geisha coffee is very resistant to extraction and needs a certain pouring time to draw out its aromas. After pouring, wait for the water level to drop to halfway.

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

Geisha Coffee Flavor Descriptions

【Red Label】(sun-dried) Bright rose, citrus aromas, genmaicha, berries, apricot, complex fruit, honey, with a thick juicy mouthfeel, rich flavor layers, and pronounced sweetness.

【Green Label】(washed) Rich jasmine floral notes on entry, high sweetness, citrus, berries, juicy mouthfeel, cream, green tea, orange peel, cantaloupe, with overall rich flavor layers and a lingering finish of floral and citrus notes.

【Blue Label】(washed) Soft acidity of lemon and grapefruit on entry; as the temperature drops slightly, oolong tea, honey, and sucrose sweetness emerge in the finish, with a relatively clean and bright mouthfeel.

(sun-dried) Fermenty aromas and fruity sweetness on the nose; melon and tropical fruit sweetness on entry, with a juice-like mouthfeel; overall sweetness is very high.

Unfortunately, in 2021, Hacienda Esmeralda announced that its Geisha coffee beans for that harvest season would only include the Red Label and Green Label series, with more detailed classifications, while Blue Label was not mentioned. Many people speculated that Blue Label had been discontinued this year. Subsequently, Front Street also received confirmation that Hacienda Esmeralda would no longer release the Blue Label Geisha series in 2021.

So does this mean we can no longer enjoy good-quality, affordably priced Panamanian Geisha coffee? Not necessarily. In October 2021, a Panamanian Boquete Geisha coffee bean called "Las Rocas" arrived at port. This brand-new brand's Geisha coffee comes in exquisite packaging. You should know that not many estates in Panama produce Geisha, and after repeated verification by Front Street, it was confirmed that Las Rocas Volcanic Rock Geisha coffee indeed comes from Hacienda Esmeralda. It恰好 fills the production gap left by Blue Label Geisha.

It seems Blue Label Geisha has not disappeared, but simply changed its coat 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 remains as excellent as Blue Label. Those who have been craving Blue Label Geisha coffee beans can look forward to it!!!

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