Panama Geisha Coffee: An Overview of Geisha and Gesha Coffee Sale Prices

When you hear the price for a cup of a Geisha Coffee, it may shock you to the point where you spit the coffee out as you're drinking it, but the taste of this coffee is enough to keep you coming back for more. Despite the price tag, there is a reason why this coffee is a must if you are looking to try every type of coffee possible.

This article is going to give you the lowdown on geisha, (originally gesha) coffee, explaining how it got this interesting name, the mysterious story of how it became discovered, and how it suddenly rose to become rated the best tasting, while also the most expensive coffee around today.

Try Our Coffee →

---

What is Geisha Coffee?

In case you've never heard the terms geisha, and coffee in the same sentence, we at Black Ink Coffee are happy to share all the information on the whole buzz with this Panama coffee. Before we go any further, no, this is not coffee made by a geisha.

Also, just a warning: By the end of this article, you may feel justified in spending the $1300 per pound of geisha, or you may be on your next flight to Panama. Either way, we tried to warn you! 

Originally, these rare beans were found in Ethiopia from a spot known as the gori gesha forest. If you are reading carefully, the forest was called 'Gesha', and not 'Geisha'. But, like a game of broken telephone, the rare gesha beans eventually became known to the world this way, often being confused with the female Japanese entertainers of the same name.

During a process of tropical agricultural research, these beans were taken from Ethiopia to a higher education center, eventually making their way to Panama. It was in Panama where certain farmers began to grow the seeds in the region. Then, at an auction in 2004, the coffee was showcased, and immediately rose to an unprecedented level of coffee excellence, and saw its demand skyrocket.

From Gesha to Geisha

Since its discovery, the geisha coffee has established itself as the top rated coffee varietal, thus explaining the record price tag. The legendary beans from the gori gesha forest have since become a staple coffee bean at an international level, but the difficulty in growing them has restricted them to being sourced from very specific areas.

In Panama, geisha first became popular after being grown at the now world famous, lamastus family estates. At first, the geisha coffee cherries had continued to be mixed in with other breeds, and so hadn't become immediately recognized for their being possibly the most unique coffee in the world.

Once geishas were made popular from the lamastus family estates, this led to a surge in demand all over the world, to where the coffee is now becoming a household name, for both its quality, and its price.

Since its increase in popularity, the coffee has expanded somewhat in availability, now found in countries such as Thailand, Malawi, Columbia, Bolivia and Costa Rica.

It has been noted though, that the taste of these Geishas tend to be different from the world famous Panama geisha. While the Thailand and Malawi versions have been rated as far inferior by comparison, the other South American versions have received more favorable ratings at more justifiable prices to boot.

Geisha: Best Coffee in the World

The year 2020 found Geisha, a coffee originating from Panama as the number one most expensive coffee in the world.

Over recent years, geisha coffee has become a hot commodity amongst coffee drinkers, winning just about every coffee competition winning the taste buds of people all over the world. But, while the coffee quality may be to every drinker's content, the price may still leave you seeing stars.

How Does it Taste?

If you've never had a cup of Geisha before, the mixture of flavors, and the aroma it gives off may never leave your mind, and may forever ruin other arabica coffee for you.

Panama geisha Coffee is closer to an Ethiopia variety of coffee than any other Latin American tasting coffee beans. Geisha is known for is floral notes, bringing up a variety of different flavor sensations like bergamot, rose, guava, peach, and a slight jasmine aroma. This massive range of tastes makes these particular beans stand out from any other competition on a typical coffee menu.

While the coffee has some similarities to other coffee native to coffee plantations in the Ethiopia region, this special bean has been known for a roast that is a fuller body, and unique taste than any other coffee in its description.

On record, its hard to find coffees with as vast a bouquet of flavors and aromas as geishas. This has a big impact on the overall score it has had amongst coffee lovers, and solidified it into the hearts and taste buds of people everywhere.

Is Geisha Worth The Price?

Okay, geisha coffee beans are expensive, once you've had a cup of coffee like this you may begin to see why. We're not trying to convince you to go buy pound after pound of the stuff, but, at least once in your life, you may find it worthwhile to spend the extra amount to see what all the fuss is about.

Just remember though people, we warned you in the beginning, geishas are a pretty powerful coffee. This coffee is not just about the name. Over a long course of evaluation, the coffee has proven itself time and time again.

Panama geisha is one of the only coffee varietals on the menu to score consistently above 90 when assessed by an expert group of coffee aficionados known as there Specialty Coffee Association.

Why Does Geisha Cost So Much?

One large reason for this is that compared to others, geisha is grown at an incredibly high altitude. When a coffee is as difficult as this to produce, let alone manage to transport, you can expect the price per pound, and per cup to be pretty high.

The conditions in Panama needed to grow the geisha coffee bean are incredibly rare. Although it is a part of the arabica coffee family, Panama geisha is truly unlike other coffees you will find. Because they are grown at such a high altitudes, geishas are more difficult to grow than other coffee cherries at your average coffee shop in the United States.

As a result, the difficult conditions have led to extremely small quantities being shipped to coffee shops in the United States, and elsewhere. The lack of supply has been problematic for people and shops who swear by geisha coffee and who are willing to put the money up to buy it by the pound.

Coffee aficionados from all over the world, including Bo Thiara from San Francisco have long raved about coffees from Panama, and geisha has beat all the other stars out of competition.

To be considered the best coffee in all of Panama is arguably the highest honour a coffee can receive according to experts like Thiara, and others.

Anytime a coffee is rated as high as this, of course you can expect a higher cost along with it.

So, whether you take it from us, or from the coffee experts all over the world, this really is a special coffee, and the cost really does justify the name you are purchasing.

Panama Geisha Coffee Costs

Just as Geishas rank highest in order for coffee quality, so do their price. While the range for one geisha can be found at $9 per cup if you are in Panama, geisha coffee can be twice as much, sold at record prices, roughly $18 per coffee in coffee shops throughout the United States.

If that doesn't leave you with a strange taste, according to a recent report, one coffee shop in San Francisco recently sold Panama geisha at $75 dollars per cup.

Yes, we know what you're thinking, and we agree, It can be pretty hard to afford this unless you suddenly won the lottery. Well, keep this comparison in mind, coffee and wine have a lot of similarities...

Just like wine, coffee has a wide range, and when you are talking about geishas, you may as well as be talking about the cream of the crop, the best glass of caffeinated champagne imaginable.

So, maybe don't rush out to grab a pound every day, as this is not your every day coffee. But, when it comes to coffee, if you're like us, sometimes its nice to get your best personalized mug, and reward yourself.

On the other hand, you can always try and get the best of both worlds by going for a Columbian Geisha or one from Costa Rica, which are deemed to be only slightly lower in quality, while also way more affordable to purchase.

Verdict: Is Geisha or Gesha Coffee Worth it?

Yes, the flavor of geisha coffee is amazing, but unless you are growing the coffee beans yourself, it may not be ideal to purchase a cup of Panama geisha coffee every single day. Even though the taste from every bean will fill your heart's content, geisha coffee may serve better as special, once in a while indulgence, instead of a staple on the menu.

Even so, the unique aroma, and the mesmerizing flavor notes you'll experience drinking geishas is a must for coffee lovers like us, and the amazing taste of this coffee may have you planning your next trip to Panama.

Try Our Coffee →

---