Is Geisha actually an Arabica variety? It emerged from the wild forests of Ethiopia, traveled through Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Costa Rica, and finally made a stunning debut in Panama, becoming the new king of the specialty coffee world. This article will sort out Geisha's varietal classification and dissemination path, review its championship journey at the Panama Best of Panama cupping competition and the SCAA International Cupping Competition for famous beans, and describe its green bean appearance, aroma characteristics, and key points in roast level selection. Whether you are a beginner just encountering Geisha or a seasoned connoisseur wanting to understand this bean in depth, you can gain a clear and complete understanding from it.
The Geisha variety was first discovered in 1931 in the Geisha forest of Ethiopia, and was subsequently sent to the coffee research institute in Kenya; in 1936 it was introduced to Uganda and Tanzania, and in 1953 Costa Rica began to introduce it. Panama only began growing Geisha coffee in the 1970s, after Mr. Francisco Serracin of Hacienda La Esmeralda obtained seeds from CATIE in Costa Rica. Because yields are extremely low and it must be bid on at auction, this bean can truly be said to be hard-won.
In 1931, Geisha was quietly exported from Geisha Mountain in southwestern Ethiopia (Geisha Mountain, which happens to sound the same as the Japanese word for "geisha") to Kenya, and thereafter wandered through Tanzania and Costa Rica. In the 1960s it was transplanted to Panama, and after surviving nearly half a century, it finally made a stunning breakthrough—defeating consistently winning varieties such as Bourbon, Caturra, Catuai, and Typica, and sweeping the top prize at the Panama Best of Panama cupping competition in 2005, 2006, and 2007 in one go. In 2007, at the international famous bean cupping competition hosted by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), Geisha won the championship again, and its auction price reached US$130 per pound, setting a record for the highest price ever paid for a competition bean. It is said that the subsequent Panama Best of Panama competition was divided into Geisha and non-Geisha groups, lest Geisha again steal the spotlight from other varieties. Geisha belongs to the Typica family, yet more than seventy years after leaving Ethiopia it made its name, further proving the saying that Ethiopia is a treasure trove of Arabica genes—casually giving away a single variety abroad is enough to stir up waves in the coffee market.
Geisha is grown in many regions around the world and is the new king of specialty coffee, with Latin American countries such as Panama, Guatemala, and Colombia generally producing higher quality and commanding higher prices.
Geisha green beans have a very beautiful blue-green color, with a jade-like, smooth texture. They smell of fresh grass, peach, berries, and the unique creamy sweetness of oolong tea that most coffee beans do not possess. It seems that things like aroma and flavor really require the power of association, but the faint tea note is something we can clearly perceive[1].
In order to highlight this bean's characteristics and aroma, the roast level should be taken to the verge of second crack. The verge of second crack and the first pop of second crack are relatively commonly used roast levels, as these can better bring out the bean's own characteristics. Too light will produce off-flavors, while too dark will deplete the floral aroma and fruity acidity. Of course, this also needs to be adjusted according to the characteristics of the coffee beans and the roaster's own understanding of the beans.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
