APRIL 2024
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Origin: Panama
Region: Chiriqui
Producer: Jamison Savage
Elevation: 2000m
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Gesha
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Washed geisha in carbonic maceration
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“It is a very subtle coffee that has passionfruit and flowers flavors.”
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Fried the Washed version.
MARCH 2024
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Origin: Colombia
Region: Cauca
Producer: Cafe Granja La Esperanza
Elevation: 1960m
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Gesha
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Washed
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“A soft, beautiful Gesha with floral jasmine notes”
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Cerro Azul Colombia Washed Geisha from Cafe La Granja Esperanza roasted by Friedhats and brewed beautifully by Motors Coffee. They literally took Geisha trees from Panama to Colombia to make this coffee. Incredible cup. Super clean, nice floral complexity that kept on evolving as I let the coffee sit. PS: the picture says Natural, but I tried the Washed version.
FEBRUARY 2024
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Origin: Colombia
Region: Cauca
Producer: Wilton Benitez
Elevation: 1680-1800m
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Pink Bourbon
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Anaerobic Thermal Shock
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Grapefruit, guava, passion fruit
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Wilton Bermudez Pink Bourbon roasted and brewed by Formative Coffee. Beans washed in a water infused with Pink Grapefruit. I’m normally a purist, but somehow this works, especially well in a cappuccino. We tried as an espresso, flat white and cappuccino. This is the juiciest and most delicate expression of a grapefruit. The milk-based coffee adds a nice creaminess that pairs well with the notes. So, if you ever pass by Formative Coffee in London and see this coffee, make sure to order a double espresso and they will kindly offer you to split it into a single espresso and cortado for a fun mini tasting.
JANUARY 2024
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Origin: Colombia
Region: Caldas
Producer: Mauricio Duque
Elevation: 1300-1700m
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Gesha
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Natural
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Passionfruit, Jasmine, Rambutan, Caramel, Cream
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Balcon de la Montaña Colombia Natural Geisha roasted by Vote and brewed by Batch Baby. I had the pleasure to enjoy it as a V60. Balcon de la montaña literally means balcony on the mountains. And this one blew me away with the tropical fruits and classic jasmine notes.
DECEMBER 2023
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Origin: Colombia
Region: Palestina
Producer: Jorge Andrade
Elevation: 1800m
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Gesha
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Natural
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“This natural Gesha cup provides powerful florals with creamy dense tropical fruit notes.”
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Pikudo roasted by Colonna & Small’s. I went into this shop for the first time excited to try their 2022 Esmeralda, but the guy in front of me purchased the last portion for his espresso! It was my biggest coffee heartbreak, but I saw this geisha on their menu and decided to give it a try. I’m very glad I did, because the fun floral, white blossoms, and tropical fruits like pineapple shined through so well. And a very cool part is that this coffee is also being made into capsules. Colonna & Smalls ended up being one of my favorite shops in London and the Pikudo was the first reason why.
NOVEMBER 2023
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Origin: Panama
Region: Chiriqui
Producer: Jamison Savage
Elevation: 2000m
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Gesha
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Washed, dried on 3-layers African beds
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“A very subtle coffee, very floral that tastes like no other.”
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Finca Deborah Terroir (espresso) roasted by Substance Cafe. I tried this as a V60 and an espresso. With the V60, it felt to me like I could see a world of flavors, but couldn’t quite enter the door. It all seemed out of reach. The espresso version changed everything. I’ve had some wonderful espressos in my life, but this one almost made me tear up. Definitely the best espresso I’ve ever had and just felt like it was on a plateau by itself. How do I begin to describe this small cup of complexity? I can’t even do it justice. One of the best coffees I’ve ever had and probably the best of the year. If you’re in Paris, you absolutely must go to Substance and order this. And ask Joachim to tell you the story of the first time he tried this coffee. It’s quite the tale.Described by La Cabra as clean and intense floral aromas atop a rich base of stone fruit, and I truly couldn’t have said it better. I’ve seen Elida on rare occasion at other shops also, so if you see the name, know that it’s a must try.
OCTOBER 2023
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Origin: Panama
Region: Volcan Baru National Forest Reserve
Producer: The Lamastus Family
Elevation: 2000m
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Gesha
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Washed
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Clean and intense florals atop a rich base of stone fruit
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Elida roasted by La Cabra. This coffee comes from arguably the best coffee making country when it comes to the Geisha bean. Lamastus Family Estates is a very special farm and this coffee is a very special washed geisha that actually placed 2nd in the Washed Geisha category in the Best of Panama competition. It scored a 95.38 which is almost unheard of. I think La Cabra (the SoHo location) had this on their menu for like a minute. It was so good I went back a couple days later to have it again, but it was gone. Described by La Cabra as clean and intense floral aromas atop a rich base of stone fruit, and I truly couldn’t have said it better. I’ve seen Elida on rare occasion at other shops also, so if you see the name, know that it’s a must try.
SEPTEMBER 2023
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Origin: Colombia
Region: Pijao & Buenavista
Producer: Lacia
Elevation: 1550-1750m
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Gesha
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Natural
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Funky, tropical, mango, floral
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Lacia El Porvenir roasted by Friedhats. Had the pleasure of trying this at my favorite coffee shop in Lisbon, Buna Coffee. As so many of my coffee of the months are, this one is a Gesha bean as well. This is a natural process coming from Colombia that has tropical fruits that jump out of the cup. Roasted to perfection, this coffee also has some gentle floral aromas, but the fruitiness is the star of the show. A coffee to sit with for a few minutes and see how it evolves. The complexity keeps your interest level high and wanting more. Friedhats is quickly moving up on my list of roasters to look out for.
AUGUST 2023
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Origin: Panama
Region: Chiriqui
Producer: Finca Deborah
Elevation: 1900m
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Gesha
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Natural Carbonic Macerated & Washed
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Notes of peach, champagne, jasmine, and vanilla.
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Finca Deborah’s “Vivid” roasted by Substance Café. Joachim (owner of Substance Café and all around master of coffee) says Finca Deborah is the best farm for coffee right now and I’m inclined to agree. It’s the second coffee featured on my Coffee of the Month from the man himself, Jamison Savage. This is my first time trying Vivid and clearly it didn’t disappoint otherwise you wouldn’t be reading about it here. The nose left me speechless. So much depth and complexity that it felt like a sensation overload trying to decipher each aroma. But, wow, you can tell right away that the quality of this is what a sommelier would call Grand Cru. If you have a chance to try this, make sure you take your time with it. This will be difficult in itself.
JULY 2023
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Origin: Peru
Region: Piura, La Laquiz
Producer: Rosa Adan Huaman Jimenez
Elevation: 1400-1600m
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Bourbon, Caturra
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Natural
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Forest berries, apricot, floral
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This is a natural processed coffee that was singing as soon as it arrived to my table. In fact, I could even smell it from an adjacent table before I received my own. One of the few coffee of the months that is not a geisha bean, yet this one expresses itself similarly. With a clean floral and fruity profile, this coffee ticks off all the boxes for me. Peru is not a country I have tried much coffee from, but this one sure makes me excited to try more.
JUNE 2023
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Origin: Guatemala
Region: Jalapa department
Producer: Jose Roberto Monterroso Pineda
Elevation: 1500-2200m
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Yellow Gesha
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Washed
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Yellow Kiwi, Candied Lemon & White Grape
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I think I paid $20 for a cup of this at the shop, so you know a box is on the expensive side. Having said that, if you have a chance to try it, I think it’s worth it. It’s a very unique bean, being a yellow geisha, meaning when the coffee cherry ripens fully, the color stays yellow. Perhaps that explains the aromas of yellow kiwi and candied lemon that start slowly and open as the coffee cools. It’s also a chance to try a cup of excellence winner from the up and coming coffee producer, Guatemala.
MAY 2023
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Origin: Ethiopia
Region: Bench Maji
Producer: Gesha Village
Elevation: 1963-1977m
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Gesha 1931
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Natural. The coffee bean is dried inside the cherry as the whole coffee fruit. It is then dried on raised African beds in full sun for 21-40 days.
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Floral: rose & jasmine
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If you try this at Substance, it will feel like Valentine’s Day because Joachim serves you a bouquet of roses in a glass. This coffee has everything I look for. Nice acidity, a gentle sweetness, complex fruit flavors, and a mélange of flowers. This coffee goes in and out of stock pretty regularly, so if you see an opportunity to get it, do so. You won’t be disappointed. That’s a Drips promise.
APRIL 2023
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Origin: Panama
Region: Tizingai
Producer: Carl Axel Janson
Elevation: +1,350 m
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Gesha
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Natural Anaerobic 120h
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Floral, blackcurrant, passion fruit. Medium acidity, medium body.
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I tried this at Kawa in the most trendy neighborhood of Paris last month. And I have to say it’s the most intense floral aroma I’ve ever had in a coffee to date. It really smells like you just walked into a garden or a street lined with blossom covered trees. Panama geisha coffees are among the most elegant, and I should mention, most expensive. Janson wasn’t a farm I was familiar with, but they are certainly on my radar now. What a treat to be able to try this at a cafe.
MARCH 2023
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Origin: Ethiopia
Region: Bench Maji
Producer: Gesha Village
Elevation: 2,000 m
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Gori Gesha
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Natural
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With notes of jasmine, sweet tropical fruits and vanilla. A perfect delicate taste from Ethiopia.
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Dabov is a Bulgarian roaster that I wasn’t familiar with and hadn’t encountered until Spain of all places. I first tried this coffee at Geisha Coffee in Madrid. Not coincidentally I suppose, this is a gesha coffee, and a great one at that. It starts off with the usual jasmine aromas and continues on into nice big tropical fruits. A complex coffee that deserves to be savored over time. Described by Dabov as having a silky texture and I wholeheartedly agree. I had the opportunity to buy this bag from the Dabov coffee shop in Madrid and have been enjoying it immensely. This was an easy choice for coffee of the month. I’m excited to try more of their coffees!
FEBRUARY 2023
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Origin: Bolivia
Region: Yanacachi
Producer: Finca Takesi
Elevation: 1,700-2,600 m
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Geisha
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Washed
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Honey-sweet with a delicate acidity. Lychee, peach, jasmine and bergamot
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Tried this several times at Motors Coffee and I have also seen it available at Cafe du Clown in Saint-Germain. The acidity is a standout for me, which gives the coffee a nice backbone. It’s also one of the best expressions of a coffee that is both floral and fruity, with jasmine leading the way followed by tropical fruit notes that almost seem bruléed. Coffee Collective is a very well known roaster and chain of shops in Copenhagen, and a premium geisha like this should be on your radar if you have the opportunity to try it.
JANUARY 2023
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Origin: Ethiopia
Region: Bench Maji
Producer: Gesha Village Coffee Estate
Elevation: 1909 - 2063 m
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Geisha 1931
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Natural with 60 hours of cold aerobic fermentation (< 15°C) and 26 days of drying
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Raspberry and rose, blackcurrant and cherry liqueur aromas
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I tried this at Clove Coffee in Paris, in the 18th arrondissement. One of my favorite cafés in the city, Clove always have a fun rotating collection, but somehow have topped themselves. I hadn’t heard of The Picky Chemist before trying it here and I was more than pleasantly surprised. It’s a geisha bean that has a nice balance of floral and fruity notes that come bursting through, but not in an overbearing way. I only tried this in V60, but I think it could definitely work as an espresso.
DECEMBER 2022
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Origin: Panama
District: Boquete
Altitude: 1950m
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Geisha
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Natural
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Mango, apricot & floral
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This was recommended to me by Joachim Morceau, owner and barista at café Substance in Paris. My oh my, this one is special. A geisha from Panama. Very complex with tropical fruits and beautiful floral aromas. This is as close to perfect as coffee gets. This one is great as espresso or filter, but I mostly had it as V60. Truly one of the best coffees I’ve ever had.
NOVEMBER 2022
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Origin: Uganda
District: Mount Elgon
Altitude: 1950-2050m
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Mainly SL14 and SL28 varieties
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Anaerobic Natural
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Tropical fruits, mango, rum with a juicy body
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I must confess that I have a positive bias towards any coffee with tropical fruit notes. The Uganda Masira coffee from Samba Coffee Roasters is an aromatic, exotic coffee with a very pleasant acidity. It was processed using the anaerobic fermentation method. This is when the coffee is put in an enclosed container like a barrel or tank for anywhere from three hours to several days, and then it's dried. It sounds weird, but it’s basically like getting out all the coffee’s aromas, but on steroids. I tried it as an espresso, flat white, cappuccino and V60. I both enjoyed it in (oat) milk-based drinks and V60. Each format enhances something different. So, you can definitely not go wrong with this one.