PDG: What Is Panama Geisha?

My first experience with what was the crown jewel of the coffee world in 2009 was a 1kg bag of green Hacienda La Esmeralda Special Panama Geisha. It was given to me as a gift for the opening of a coffee academy that I was manning.

The coffee was lightly scented with the aroma of blueberries while roasting, bursting with bergamot oil upon grinding and tasted like Earl Grey when cupped. Six years ago, this phenomenal coffee left me yearning to dive into the world of Geisha (or gesha) coffee.

Our small team quickly gathered in the academy right after roasting the Esmeralda Geisha. We huddled closely, in awe of the flavours we were cupping. Everyone wanted a piece of the action of this unknown bean but, unfortunately, we served the coffee a death sentence by throwing all of it into the grinder hopper. This particular Geisha was a hair-tearing experience to calibrate the grind for. Particularly since we were after a ‘God shot’.

250g of wasted Geisha later, a palatable espresso shot finally came. Most of us, (myself included), flipped with a mesmerized palate. Yet some critiqued its tea-like lack of body. In 5oz milk, all love was lost. We quickly discovered that the coffee was much more enjoyable when brewed as a filter coffee rather than an espresso or latte.

It was not a forgiving coffee, and at the time I felt it was not suitable for multiple brewing devices. Then again, this was six years ago and instead of the coffee not being ready for us, we were simply not ready for it.

What Is Geisha?

Rare, exclusive and fetching a heavy price tag, Geisha is often associated with coffees from Panama when in fact cultivation of the Geisha varietal only began there in the 1960s. Geisha is an original variety of coffee that was discovered in the 1930s in the mountains around the Southwestern town of Gesha, Ethiopia. Geisha trees grow tall and can be distinguished by their beautiful and elongated leaves. The quality of this coffee can be drastically improved when grown at extremely high elevation.

In the cup, the Esmeralda Geisha displays a good sweetness, clarity and sparkling flavor that may range from berry, citrus, mango, papaya, peach, pineapple, guava, and jasmine. Quite a bouquet for some palates. They are also recognized by the distinctive bergamot oil and orange peel taste, often described as Earl Grey tea! Others at Perfect Daily Grind have experienced strange notes of marshmallows and vanilla!

https://www.perfectdailygrind.com/2015/06/what-is-geisha-the-reality-of-a-fantasy-bean/