Gesha Coffee - World’s Most Expensive Arabica Varietal?
Gesha coffee is known for all the best characteristics excellent coffee possesses. Noted for its outstanding flavor and aroma, gesha coffee enjoys exclusivity and a high selling point in the coffee world.
But, this is not without reason, this delicate arabica varietal is worth the reverence it enjoys and every penny spent. Here’s exactly why gesha coffee enjoys its prized status and exclusivity, and why it's worth a try this year.
What Is Gesha Coffee?
Also known as geisha coffee, gesha coffee is a delicate specialty arabica coffee varietal originating from the Gori Gesha forests of Ethiopia - the main powerhouse for arabica’s genetic foundation. Even the name, Gesha, is translated from its Amharic origin. Today, this variety grows across the coffee-growing world, notably in Panama, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Tanzania, among others.
Ethiopian Gesha started its journey from the African coffee capital in the 1950s to Tanzania ( known as Tanganyika before 1964) where it was grown at a research center. The cultivated plants then made their way to Central and Latin America - first in Costa Rica and spreading to other countries, including Panama.
Nonetheless, till the 1990s, Gesha coffee didn't enjoy much attention and was merely used in blends. This changed when the owner of the Hacienda la Esmeralda in Panama decided to expand coffee harvesting to higher elevations. The owner was impressed by the varietal’s resistance to disease - yet, noting its specific affinity to specific higher altitudes.
In just a decade of growing in the Hacienda la Esmeralda, Gesha coffee started to earn its place among the best coffee in the world. It’s during this time that the coffee started to nab awards and gain massive recognition at different competitions and award events - the rest is history!
Geisha Coffee - Expensive?
As of February 2023, Gesha holds the title for the most expensive coffee in the world - selling for a whopping $4,547 per lb. However, this is not the first time we’ve seen Gesha Coffee pull in chunks of money.
Among the very first commercial lots to gain the varietal its fame, originating from the Petterson family’s Hacienda la Esmeralda was sold at the then-record price of $350 per lb. A little over a decade later, gesha coffee from the same farm sold at nearly double the price at $601 per lb.
With such price tags that roasters and exporters pay, you should expect to pay as low as $9 for a cup of single-origin Gesha coffee in Panama and as high as $100 at coffee shops in the U.S.
Gesha Coffee: Flavor and Profile
If grown properly, gesha coffee achieves a uniquely pleasant sweet fruity, and floral flavor profile. But, the actual notes and characteristics are influenced by the region, climate, elevation, and geographical setting (soil and terroir).
For instance, gesha coffee from Ethiopia offers beautiful flavor and aroma notes of jasmine, black tea, and tropical fruit. Panamanian gesha offers exquisite notes of jasmine, papaya, mango, oranges, and berries with a bergamot aftertaste.
Growing and Harvesting Gesha Coffee
To maintain its premium profile, gesha coffee is hand-picked - with riper cherries producing a sweeter taste. The beans are then manually and machine-checked for quality and sorted before wet or dry processing.
Wet processed gesha coffee offers a delicate and clean taste with a lighter and brighter body, nuanced acidity, and lighter fruity hints. On the other hand, dry processed beans offer a full body with more intense fruity and sweet notes but less acidity.
Geisha Coffee’s Unique Growth - Is This Why It's Special?
Gesha coffee stands out for its uniquely delicious flavor and exquisite aroma. However, its exclusivity also stems from its delicate growing nature. Gesha coffee grows at least 4590 feet (1500m) above sea level yet, it still has a relatively low yield.
The limited yield and delicate growing nature are attributed to the plant’s anatomy. The gesha coffee plant grows a shallower root system that limits water and nutrient intake, reducing its energy yield.
Further, the plant develops thinner leaves, resulting in a less efficient photosynthesis process. As a result, you get a plant that grows fewer beans - about half - of what other common arabica varietals produce. Ultimately, you get premium coffee with outstanding flavor, aroma, and body - but, with a far lower yield.
Spotlight on Colombia Circasia Edwin Noreña Double Carbonic and Galaxy Hop Co-Fermented Gesha Coffee
Coffee varietal: Geisha coffee
Growing altitude and origin: 5249 feet (1600m) m.a.s.l. in Quindo, Colombia
Process: Double carbonic hop-infused Mossto fermented honey process
Flavor profile: Floral lavender, spicy ginger, and hoppy pine
Panamanian gesha coffee is among the best and most expensive coffee in the world. While this coffee varietal is worth the try, you don’t necessarily have to break an arm and leg to try geisha. Colombian gesha is equally premium coffee with the same excellent flavor and aroma profile without fetching big money.
Colombian gesha coffee grows at just the right conditions to promote the best results. More than 12% of Colombian land is covered by potassium and calcium-rich volcanic ash terroir. This is where Colombian coffee - including the gesha varietal grows. Paired with the microclimate, the elevated coffee-growing regions in Colombia produce exceptional gesha coffee.
But, just when you think it couldn’t get better than this, you can try gesha coffee in an even more specialized state. The Circasia Edwin Noreña Double Carbonic and Galaxy Hop Co-Fermented Gesha from Colombia is the perfect option for exploring unique gesha coffee flavors.
A product of the Farm, Finca Campo Hermoso, this experimental coffee is produced by the farm’s owner, Edwin Noreña. This experimental gesha coffee is made by anaerobically co-fermenting Galaxy hop infused with Mossto* from Quindio, Colombia in a honey process and then drying it on raised beds. During the Mossto anaerobic process, the coffee seeds are submerged in their fruit pulp, and juices from the coffee cherries in a sealed container for several days.
To roast the beans, the producers use an extended Maillard phase with a lower rise rate at the first crack to achieve the perfect body, aroma, and flavor. As a result, you get a pleasantly overwhelming blend of floral lavender, spicy ginger, and hoppy pine notes. To truly savor the flavors and aromas of this specialty experimental coffee, opt for a lighter pour-over brewing method.
*Mossto refers to a juice made from compressing coffee cherries.
Final Thoughts - Where Can I Try Colombian Gesha Coffee?
You can try Circasia Edwin Noreña Double Carbonic and Galaxy Hop Co-Fermented Gesha Coffee from Colombia today. Coast 2 Coast Roasters currently stocks this premium experimental Colombian coffee at a competitive price. If you want to explore the premium and exclusive characteristics geisha coffee has to offer, this is your chance to do so at a cost-friendly opportunity.
www.coast2coastroasters.com
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