This Gesha separation from Rual Perez is an exquisite representation of the variety grown in Guatemalan terroir–something we rarely see. In the cup we find a traditional Gesha-like profile of jasmine, white peach, and a unique malic acidity.
Gesha
Acatenango
1,650 masl
March, 2022
Hand picked at peak ripeness. Floated to further remove defects. Held in cherry to ferment for 15 hours. Depulped. Dry fermented in sealed bins for 42 hours. Washed. Dried on raised beds for 25 days until moisture reaches ~10.5%.
This is a new and very exciting beginning for us in Acatenango, Guatemala. We have known of Raul's coffees for years now, and thanks to some mutual friends we were finally able to make an introduction. Raul is a pioneering coffee producer who is passionately interested in innovation, quality, and sustainability. La Llano is 45 hectares (111 acres) and rests in the shadow of the volcano El Fuego alongside 45 hectares of natural forest reserve. We really look forward to continuing to work with Raul and discovering more of what he has in store for this special farm.
Gesha was originally collected from coffee forests of Ethiopia in the 1930's. From there, it was sent to the Lyamungo Research Station in Tanzania, and then brought to Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE) in Central America in the 1953, where it was logged as accession T2722. It was distributed throughout Panama via CATIE in the 1960’s after its tolerance to coffee leaf rust was recognized. However, it was not widely planted because the plant's branches were brittle and not favored by farmers. Gesha came to prominence in 2005, when the Peterson family of Boquete, Panama, entered it into the Best of Panama competition and auction. It received exceptionally high marks and broke the then-record for green coffee auction prices, selling for over $20 per pound. Since then, the variety has become a resounding favorite of brewing and roasting competition winners and coffee enthusiasts alike.
The cost of getting a coffee from cherry to beverage varies enormously depending on its place of origin and the location of its consumption. The inclusion of price transparency is a starting point to inform broader conversation around the true costs of production and the sustainability of specialty coffee as a whole.