Costa Rica Gesha #3

As the exclusive purchaser of Juan José Araya Acuña's Finca Aurora crop for the last seven years, we hold enormous affection and excitement about the quality of the coffee he produces year after year. This release marks his third wildly successful Gesha crop and it's as amazing as we'd hoped. 

For those of you who don't spend much of your free time reading about coffee, subscribing to coffee magazines, and generally trying to taste all the coffee you can, allow us a moment to explain what makes a Gesha so special. In Ethiopia, the veritable birthplace of coffee,  there are countless heirloom varietals. The name “Gesha” comes from the Gesha region in Ethiopia where some seeds of this varietal were first collected in 1936. As these plants were taken across the ocean to Central America, these new farmers selected and cultivated certain coffee trees suited to their specific climates and conditions. For many years the Gesha trees were mixed in with trees of other varietals and their beans were likewise blended together at origin to create regional offerings. Then in 2004, the Panamanian coffee estate Hacienda La Esmeralda entered a competition with an offering of 100% Gesha beans. It attracted a lot of attention for its distinctly aromatic, floral flavors and went on to set record prices. Since then a small number of farmers from throughout Central America have begun to select specifically for these beans. This painstaking process, low yield, and relative rarity of the Gesha varietal means that many farmers simply cannot offer Gesha-selected coffee at market.

Like Juan José’s Aurora, these beans are prepared using a honey process, in this case it’s a ‘red honey.’ This means a reasonable amount of the fruit is left on the bean itself as it dries. This enzymatic interaction helps develop a rich fruity aspect to the coffee without muddling any of the cleaner and more delicate flavors. They’ve been processing coffee like this in Costa Rica for years and they quite literally have it down to a science. What we end up with is a wonderfully airy and delicate coffee that retains the regional identity of the West Valley Naranjos of Costa Rica. The finish is long and luxurious with pleasant and focused sweetness. You'll taste lots of tropical fruits like mango, pineapple, and guava, with layers of delicate florals. 

So after all that, we give you Gesha #3  from Juan José Aryaya Acuña, of San Juanillo Costa Rica, roasted by Spencer and Tonya at 802 Coffee of Vermont. We are so excited for the return of this coffee and hope you love it as much as we do. 

Geography -- San Juanillo, Naranjo, Alejuela Province, Costa RIca

Elevation -- 1580 MASL

Farmer – Juan José Araya Acuña 

Varietal – 100% Gesha

802 Cupping Notes -- delicate florals, sugar sweet, wild forest berries, soft & supple finish