The geisha coffee varietal is an enigma in its own right. There are many high priced coffees in this world. Kopi Luwak, (*ahem* “cat poop coffee” – stay away), Jamaican Blue Mountain, Kona and a few others. But something sets a geisha coffee apart from the rest. Namely, the amazing taste. If you want substance AND taste, geisha coffee is the way to go.
You might remember from some of our other posts that there are many varietals of coffee – just like there are varietals of grapes. There are two main strains of coffee – arabica and robusta – but many varietals beyond that. Geisha coffee is certainly one of the most prized of these coffees and, in our opinion, the only one that is worth the extra money.
Where did Geisha Coffee Come From?
Geisha coffee is an original varietal that was found in the 1930’s in the mountainous southwestern town of Geisha, Ethiopia. It then traveled to Panama and became a staple in the coffee growing community. Panama is one of the most popular sources for geisha coffee. Geisha is also grown in Costa Rica, Ethiopia and other countries.
Like most coffees, geisha loves growing at high elevations. The higher elevation, the more it will improve in taste. After migrating from Ethiopia to Central America, coffee farmers in Panama started to cultivate this exotic coffee variety. What kind of variety could one coffee plant possibly have, you ask? Well, that is where the geisha coffee shines the most! Taking coffee conferences by storm and winning cupping competitions left and right.
What Makes Geisha Coffee so Great?
Ok so we’ve talked about its background. Now it’s time to open up this monster palette wheel this bad boy has. Geisha has a good sweetness, clarity and sparkling flavor. Depending on the origin, those flavors can include mango, berry, guava, citrus, papaya, peach, jasmine, and pineapple. Which is a huge range of notes in a coffee cup! So it makes sense that geisha coffees have taken top honors at Cup of Excellence events around the world. Geisha coffee has certainly become been the mover and shaker on the coffee scene, as well as in all coffee championships worldwide.
