What is Gesha Coffee? Taste, Origin & Brewing Guide

What is Gesha?

Gesha coffee is one of the most sought-after coffee varieties in the world, known for its intensely floral flavour profile, tea-like body and record-breaking auction prices. Originally discovered in Ethiopia, it rose to global fame after the 2004 Best of Panama auction.

In a Nutshell

I don't think any coffee variety has made a wave in the industry more than Gesha - the fame of this variety exploded during the 2004 Panama auction where the Peterson family of Hacienda La Esmeralda submitted a lot called the 'Esmeralda Special', a Panamanian grown Gesha.

At the time, very little was known about the variety; it had come to Panama in the 1960s and been fairly widely distributed by CATIE due to its noted resistance to leaf rust.

In the few years that followed, some farm owners opted to replace the original Panamanian Gesha, due to the low yield potential and susceptibility to Coffee Berry Disease and Nematodes. Additionally, they are brittle, high maintenance plants. Many of these Gesha plants made way for other varieties like Caturra and Catuai, which provided higher yields and could be planted in much higher densities.

So what caused a sickly, low yielding, high maintenance plant to become the most famous coffee variety in the world?

It turns out that Gesha had a secret quality, that was not really evaluated for until the specialty movement came around... Cup Quality.

The Best of Panama Auctions

In 1996, the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama began organising yearly auctions to showcase the country's highest-quality coffees. Judges from around the world were invited to taste the lots, and these were then auctioned to global buyers.

This was a pivotal moment in the history of Panamanian coffee culture.

The competition went on for a few years until a turning point arrived in 2004, when first-time entrants 'Hacienda La Esmeralda' by the Peterson Family brought with them 'Esmeralda Special', a Washed Process Gesha from their farm Jaramillo. This was the first time that Gesha was presented in isolation and not part of a blend.

The judges noted the extremely pronounced florals (jasmine & bergamot) and awarded the Esmeralda Special first place. When the Gesha went up for auction, it achieved a final bid of $21/lb, shattering all previous records and cementing the legacy of the Gesha coffee variety.

The 2004 Auction was probably the most pivotal event in specialty coffee history and laid the foundation for modern specialty coffee.

And the prices haven't stopped climbing. Gesha lots have topped the Best of Panama auction almost every year since, and in 2019 a natural Gesha from the Lamastus family's Elida Estate became the first lot in the auction's history to sell for more than $1,000 per pound. Records have continued to fall since then, which tells you everything about how the industry values this variety.

Best of Panama: top Gesha price per pound

Highest green coffee bid at the auction, US$ per lb

See the figures and sources

Year	Top lot	US$/lb
2004	Hacienda La Esmeralda	$21
2006	Hacienda La Esmeralda	$50.25
2007	Hacienda La Esmeralda	$130
2017	Hacienda La Esmeralda, natural	$601
2018	Elida Estate, natural	$803
2019	Elida Estate, natural	$1,029
2020	Finca Sophia, washed	$1,300
2021	Nuguo, natural	$2,568
2023	Carmen Estate, washed	$4,538
2024	Elida Estate, natural	$4,542
2025	Hacienda La Esmeralda, washed	$13,700
2026	Elida Estate	$8,166

Sources: Daily Coffee News (2004–2018), Daily Coffee News (2019), Panamá América (2020), Revista E&N (2021), GCR (2023), GCR (2024), Sprudge (2025), Perfect Daily Grind (2026), Boquete Coffee Traders (2007).

What Does Gesha Coffee Taste Like?

Gesha coffee typically is known for tasting like Jasmine, Bergamot, Apricot and other floral characteristics. However, there are many factors that determine what Gesha will taste like, such as the terroir, processing method and farm methodology.

The easiest to discern is Natural Gesha vs Washed Gesha. Here's a brief explanation of the differences between the two.

Natural Gesha vs Washed Gesha - Flavour Differences

Washed Gesha

Washed Gesha coffees are renowned for having bright acidity, Jasmine florals and stone fruit flavours such as apricot, in addition to a very delicate, tea-like body. It's not uncommon to also find characteristics like red and orange fruits, lemon, bergamot and other citrus fruits.

Natural Gesha

Natural Gesha coffees are renowned for having high levels of fruit-sweetness, jasmine and bergamot florals and a silky body. It's not uncommon to also find characteristics like lemongrass, candied apple, lemon, Kiwi and other tropical fruits.

High-Intervention Gesha

Because Gesha already carries such a high price tag, many producers (particularly in Colombia) use it as the foundation for their most experimental lots: anaerobic fermentations, extended fermentations and co-ferments. These can push the cup towards boozy, candied and tropical territory, sometimes at the expense of the delicate florals that make Gesha special in the first place. We have roasted a few of these over the years, including a double anaerobic Gesha from Wilton Benitez in Cauca and a 96-hour anaerobic Gesha from Gonzalo Orosco in Tolima, and they can be spectacular. If it's your first Gesha though, I would always point you towards a washed lot first, so you can taste what the variety itself is doing.

The Gesha Hallmark

Of all of the varieties that I have tried, Gesha is the one with the most defining hallmark, that lets the consumer know that they are drinking a Gesha, regardless of processing method and terroir expression.

For me, this is the tactility of the coffee; almost regardless of the coffee's origin and processing method (although more heavily processed coffees are harder to identify), it is so obvious to me when I am tasting a Gesha, even in a blind setting. The tactile quality of Gesha is so unique and distinct that it's unmistakable, and no other varieties seem to mimic this.

What is the Origin of Gesha?

Gesha takes its name from the Gori Gesha forest, near the town of Gesha in the Bench Maji zone of south-west Ethiopia, close to the border with South Sudan. Like so many of the world's most interesting coffees, it began life as a wild Ethiopian landrace.

In the 1930s, seeds were collected from the region during colonial-era expeditions looking for disease-resistant coffee plants. Those seeds made their way to the Lyamungu research station in Tanzania, and from there to CATIE in Costa Rica in the 1950s, where the variety was catalogued under the accession number T2722.

CATIE then distributed Gesha across Central America, largely for its resistance to leaf rust rather than for any interest in how it tasted. That is how it ended up in Panama in the 1960s, and how it sat largely unnoticed on Panamanian farms until the Petersons put it on the table in 2004.

It's worth noting that "Gesha" isn't one single, uniform plant. The Panamanian Gesha that made the variety famous descends from that T2722 selection, while more recent projects in Ethiopia, most notably Gesha Village Coffee Estate, have gone back to the Gori Gesha forest to collect and plant seed from the wild population. These newer selections are often sold under names like "Gesha 1931" or "Gori Gesha", and they don't always taste identical to their Panamanian cousins.

Gesha or Geisha?

You'll see both spellings on bags and café menus, and they refer to the same variety. "Gesha" is the more accurate spelling, as it comes from the place the variety was collected. "Geisha" became common in Panama and stuck in plenty of marketing, but it has no connection to the Japanese word. We use Gesha throughout.

Where is Gesha Grown?

Gesha is grown in a growing number of origins, but a handful dominate the conversation:

• Panama: The spiritual home of modern Gesha, particularly the Boquete and Volcán areas of Chiriquí, where farms like Hacienda La Esmeralda, Elida Estate and Ninety Plus made the variety famous.
• Colombia: Now one of the biggest sources of specialty Gesha, especially from Huila, Tolima and Cauca, and the go-to origin for high-intervention Gesha lots.
• Ethiopia: Its birthplace. Gesha Village Coffee Estate in Bench Maji grows Gesha just a few miles from the forest it was first collected from.
• Peru: An exciting up-and-coming source. Our current Gesha comes from Finca Pacpa in Lonya Grande, Amazonas.
• Elsewhere: Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala and Bolivia all produce notable Gesha lots.

Gesha really shines at altitude. Most high-quality lots are grown above 1,500 metres above sea level, and many of the most celebrated come from 1,700 MASL and higher. Cooler temperatures slow the ripening of the cherries, giving them more time to build the sugars and aromatic compounds that give Gesha its trademark florality. Grown at low altitude, Gesha is a much less remarkable coffee, which is part of the reason it went unnoticed for so long.

How is Gesha Grown and Harvested?

Gesha is not an easy plant to farm. It is a tall variety with long, sparse, lateral branches, and those branches are brittle and prone to snapping, especially when weighed down with cherries. That open structure means fewer cherries per plant, so yields are noticeably lower than workhorse varieties like Caturra, Catuai or Castillo.

It also tends to prefer shade and a well-managed ecosystem around it. Many of the best Gesha farms grow it under a canopy of shade trees, which keeps temperatures down, protects the plants and helps regulate soil moisture. At Finca Pacpa, for example, Manuel Marlo grows his Gesha in an agroforestry system alongside pine, cedar and guabo trees.

Harvesting is slow, careful work. Cherries on the same branch don't ripen at the same time, so the best lots require pickers to make multiple passes of each tree, selecting only fully ripe cherries. With so much value riding on every kilo, most Gesha producers then float and hand-sort the cherries again before processing.

Typical Maturation Timeline

Gesha follows a similar timeline to most Arabica varieties, although its lower yields mean the payoff for the producer takes a little longer to arrive:

• Year 0: Seedling germination and nursery stage.
• Year 1: Vegetative growth - establishing a root system and its long, lateral branches.
• Year 2: First flowering, sometimes with a very small first crop.
• Year 3: First commercially meaningful harvest, although yields are still modest.
• Years 4-5: The plant reaches maturity, with more consistent yields and cup quality.
• Year 5+: Full production. With good pruning and management, Gesha can stay productive for many years.
• Information adapted from World Coffee Research.

Where Can I Buy Gesha Coffee?

You can buy Gesha coffee from our offerings.

As luck would have it, our Gesha from Manuel Marlo is currently available. It's an anaerobic washed Gesha grown at 1,752 MASL at Finca Pacpa in Lonya Grande, Peru, and sourced through our friends at Khipu. In the cup, we find fragrant bergamot, jasmine and orange blossom with a silky body - classic Gesha.

Gesha is a regular part of our Masterpieces range, and we have previously roasted Gesha lots from Colombian producers including Wilton Benitez and Gonzalo Orosco. If you want our most exciting releases delivered as they land, have a look at our Single Origin Subscription.

What Does Gesha Look Like?

A Gesha plant is easy to pick out on a farm once you know what to look for. It is tall, often noticeably taller than the varieties planted around it, with long, sparse branches that give it a slightly wild, open appearance. The leaves are long and narrow, and the new leaf tips usually have a bronze colouration.

The cherries ripen to a deep red and are slightly elongated. Once processed, Gesha beans are long and slender compared with the rounder beans of Bourbon or Caturra, which is one of the giveaways when you're looking at green coffee.

Gesha Vs Sidra - What's the Difference?

In short: Gesha is more floral, tea-like and consistent in profile, while Sidra tends to be more fruit-driven, adaptable and higher yielding.

Occasionally you might hear Sidra coined as the next 'Gesha Killer'.

Another variety often discussed alongside Gesha and Sidra is Pink Bourbon, which is also prized for its floral, tea-like and high-clarity cup profile.

First, the similarities:

• Both Gesha and Sidra descend from Ethiopian landraces and arrived in South and Central America in the mid-20th century.
• Both share a lot of similar 'Ethiopian' flavour characteristics - high acidity, high sweetness, silky body and big florals.
• Both are big plants that produce big beans with extremely high quality potential.
• Both gained fame through competition: Gesha at the 2004 Best of Panama auction, and Sidra at the 2019 World Barista Championship.

And the differences:

• Gesha is a notoriously stubborn, low yielding plant, whereas Sidra is much higher yielding.
• Gesha produces long, slender, oval beans, while Sidra beans are longer, pointier and noticeably denser and harder.
• Gesha is generally more silky, floral and tea-like, with more obvious acidity. Sidra tends to have a more voluptuous body, with acidity that leans towards fruit and berry sweetness.
• Gesha carries a very recognisable hallmark from farm to farm. Sidra seems to respond much more to terroir and processing, so two Sidras can taste very different.
• Gesha is considerably more expensive. Sidra (and Pink Bourbon) often deliver a similar wow factor at a much friendlier price.

The Rarity of Gesha

Gesha is far more widely planted than it was 20 years ago. After 2004, farms across Panama, Colombia and beyond rushed to plant it, and today you'll find Gesha on most specialty roasters' menus at some point in the year.

That said, it is still a tiny fraction of the world's coffee. It makes up only a small percentage of production even in Colombia, its low yields limit how much any one farm can produce, and the very best lots are often sold at auction before they ever reach a roaster's shelves. Good Gesha is easy enough to find; truly exceptional Gesha remains genuinely rare.

Is Gesha Expensive?

Yes. Gesha is the most famous premium coffee variety for a reason, and it is usually the most expensive coffee on any roaster's menu.

A few things drive that price: low yields per plant, high-altitude farming, careful selective picking, intense global demand, and the halo effect of those headline-grabbing auction prices. Our current Manuel Marlo Gesha is £22.95 for 150g, which is towards the top end of what we sell, but a fraction of what competition-grade Panamanian lots can fetch.

Whether it's worth it comes down to what you value. If you want to taste the benchmark for floral, elegant coffee, I'd say a good washed Gesha is something every coffee lover should try at least once. If you love that style but want something more wallet-friendly, Sidra and Pink Bourbon are both brilliant alternatives.

How to Brew Gesha

With Gesha, the goal is clarity. You've paid for those delicate florals and that tea-like body, so the job of your brew is to get out of the way and let them through. Percolation brewers such as the V60, Orea and Origami are perfect for this, and I'd steer away from immersion methods like the cafetière, which can mute the aromatics.

A slightly longer ratio of around 1:16 to 1:17 and water at around 60-80ppm will help keep the cup light and articulate. Make sure your coffee is properly rested too; for light-roasted Gesha we recommend brewing between 24 and 50 days off roast, and our guide to resting coffee explains why.

Our Favourite Recipe for Gesha

• Coffee: 15.5g, medium-fine grind
• Water: 250g, 60-80ppm
• Dripper: Orea V4
• Target brew time: Approximately 2:20

This is the starting recipe we use for our Manuel Marlo Gesha. Adjust your grind to balance the floral notes against the citrus intensity: grind finer if the cup tastes thin or sharp, and coarser if the florals start to get lost.

Gesha also makes a stunning espresso. Start with a longer ratio, around 1:2.2 to 1:2.4, to showcase the aromatics and sweetness rather than chasing body. For other recipe inspiration, check out our favourite pour over recipes.

Final Thoughts on Gesha

It's hard to overstate how much Gesha has shaped specialty coffee. A forgotten, low yielding plant from a remote Ethiopian forest went on to rewrite what people thought coffee could taste like, and what they were willing to pay for it.

More than 20 years after the Esmeralda Special, Gesha is still the benchmark. Sidra, Pink Bourbon and every other 'Gesha Killer' are measured against it, and in my experience it is still the most recognisable variety in a blind tasting.

If you've never tried one, start with a clean washed Gesha, brew it carefully and pay attention to the texture as much as the flavour. That's where the magic is.

Frequently Asked Questions

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