The flavor of Geisha coffee, among many other virtues, is quite strong and intense, without losing sweetness. It has floral, citrus, and fruit notes… among which jasmine, peach, or pear can be appreciated

Gesha Coffee, sometimes called Geisha Coffee, is a variety of coffee that originated in the Gori Gesha Forest, Ethiopia, although it is now grown in several other nations in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. It is widely known for its unique flavor profile of floral and sweet notes, its high selling price, and its exclusivity, as its demand has increased over the years. 

A bit of history

The name “Geisha” has been applied to the coffee since it was first collected by British officials. A 1936 letter from the British Consulate in Ethiopia which speaks of a trip to the “Geisha Coffee Area”, where samples were collected for further study. The name “Gesha” comes from the transliteration of the name of the region.

In most cases, Geisha/Gesha coffees in Ethiopia use the Gesha spelling while those elsewhere use Geisha, depending on how the grower was originally labeled, although some Latin American growers use Gesha to indicate a variety grown from an original stock of Eti Opia.

Although the origin of the name Geisha is a Gesha spelling or phonetic mistake, the growing awareness of the variety has raised concerns about the inappropriate association of coffee with Japanese geishas.

Cultivation and Process

In Colombia, the nano lots of Geisha coffee plants are grown in the highlands (very high). The plants are planted at high altitudes (over 1800 meters) and develop in a very closed, cold, and rainy climate, often with fog.

Geisha coffee starts with the harvesting of the ripest cherries. Producers prefer hand-picked cherries as it helps to ensure that only properly ripe coffee cherries are harvested.  The more ripe the cherry is, means that the resulting coffee will have a sweeter flavor profile.

Then the cherries go through a quality inspection. Some growers have the technology to put their cherries on a machine that decodes the quality of the cherries. Some smaller growers have workers sort the cherries harvested by hand.

Cherries are processed by wet or dry methods. Washed coffees are often described as ’cleaner’ and more delicate in the cup (i.e. during drinking), lighter-bodied, and with brighter acidity, better defined, and brighter fruity notes. Washed coffees are also described as more balanced (i.e., lacking particularly strong flavor notes or biases).

Dry-processed (natural) coffees tend to have more body, more fruit, and are sweeter and less acidic, although in some cases the acidity is more pronounced and easier to define. 

Once these methods are completed, growers end up with a Geisha coffee bean.

Profile of cup

The flavor profile of Geisha coffee is an aspect that contributes to its reputation. Geisha is known for its sweet taste and aroma of floral notes, jasmine, chocolate, honey, and even black tea. 

These sweet floral notes and complex flavor profiles are some of the many characteristics that Geisha Coffee shares with most other African coffees. In addition, this unique flavor is also one of the factors contributing to the high price and prestige of Geisha.

While it may be difficult to identify a flavor profile for any specific coffee area, the differences between (and even identifying) many of the coffee areas can be made by experienced coffee tasters.

Gesha is home to the world-famous Gesha (Geisha) Coffee, and this origin is now starting to produce its own high-quality washed, semi-washed and dry-processed coffees.

Gesha (Geisha) coffee grown inside and outside Ethiopia stands out for its extraordinary aroma and flavor, with notes of jasmine, black tea, and tropical fruits, and for its deep sweetness. For these reasons, Gesha (Geisha) coffee is sought after and usually has a high price.

Colombian Geisha Coffee

Colombian Geisha Coffee Beans are a crop of wild Ethiopian-origin beans. An ancient and scarce coffee, this coffee has a rich and fascinating story.

Geisha Coffee is different in appearance, is naturally resistant to some diseases and the beans are long and slender.

Colombian Geisha Coffee has about 30% less caffeine than most other coffees. The crop yield of the Colombian Geisha Coffee plant is meager but outstanding, which is why it is so difficult to find commercial plantations to produce this fine coffee.