Geisha For The People

What is Geisha Coffee, and Why Should You Try It?

At Caffenation, we love taking you along on our journey into the miraculous world of Specialty Coffee. One of the most important factors that influences a coffee's flavor is its varietal — or in other words, its variety. Today, we’re diving deeper into one of the rarest and most celebrated coffee bean types on Earth.

Let's talk about Geisha.

The history of Geisha coffee is relatively young, beginning in 1931. Despite the name, it has no connection to Japanese Geishas; the coffee is named after Gesha Village in Ethiopia. The spelling with an 'i' came later when Don Pachi Serracin, who introduced the seeds to Panama in the early 1960s from CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) in Costa Rica, mistakenly recalled it as "Geisha 2722."

Originally brought to CATIE in 1953 via Kenya and Tanzania, the Geisha varietal eventually made its way to Panama. However, it initially struggled: the trees were slow-growing, produced fewer cherries, and — when cultivated at lower altitudes — tasted poor. As a result, Geisha was largely abandoned in favor of more productive and better-tasting varieties.

Fast forward to 2000: after decades of obscurity, Geisha trees were rediscovered at the Hacienda La Esmeralda farm in the Boquete region of Panama, this time grown at higher elevations. When their coffee was auctioned, its exceptional quality and unique flavor stunned coffee experts worldwide — sparking what is now known as the "rediscovery of Geisha."

In my long coffee-tasting and cupping career, I've never encountered beans that consistently cup higher than the washed Geishas from Hacienda La Esmeralda.

Today, Geisha coffees are produced all over the coffee-growing world, often using natural processing methods. Personally, I find the washed Geishas more exciting, thanks to their refined balance, vibrant acidity, and complexity — they never feel boring.

At Caffenation, we've been roasting Geisha beans since we opened in 2010. However, due to a mix of declining quality and skyrocketing prices, it’s been a while since we offered one.

That’s why we’re extra excited to present this washed Colombian Geisha, produced by Claudia Colmenares. We're thrilled to offer this exceptional coffee at a fair price, staying true to our "Coffee for the People" philosophy.

To put things in perspective: the three nearest roasteries offering a similar Geisha are charging an average of €410 per kilo — yes, really!

Our price? Just €58 per kilo, or €15 for a 250g bag.

Think we’re bluffing on quality? Pick up a bag online or swing by Caffenation, taste it for yourself, and tell us what you think!