Introduction:Gesha Village coffee is renowned worldwide for its delicate floral notes and unique flavor profile, making it a dream bean for many specialty coffee enthusiasts. This article delves into the origins of Gesha Village, its cultivation background, and the characteristics of its various plots, analyzing the distinct flavor profiles of the Surma and Bangi lots. It also recommends a high cost-performance pour over and SOE-friendly bean, helping you make more informed choices from selection to brewing.
Gesha Village stands as an iconic brand in Ethiopia’s specialty coffee scene, with beans celebrated for their pronounced floral layers and refined acidity. Whether you’re new to coffee or an experienced enthusiast, understanding the differences between Gesha Village’s various plots, processing methods, and roast levels can give you greater direction in purchasing and brewing.
If you’re looking for an everyday-drinking, high-value-for-money Gesha-flavored bean, a well-known roastery’s Ethiopian Grana Estate Gesha is a very practical choice. This bean is sun-dried and medium-light roasted, perfectly highlighting its rich floral and fruity aromas. It delivers clear layers whether brewed via pour over or cold brew, and even performs surprisingly well as an SOE (single origin espresso) using a home coffee machine. Compared to Gesha products often priced over a hundred yuan on the market, this one is more affordable and makes an excellent daily drinker.
To understand the origins of Gesha Village Coffee Estate, we must mention its founder, Mr. Adam Overton. In 2007, he came to Ethiopia to film a coffee-themed documentary and was deeply captivated by the local coffee culture and potential. As his understanding of the coffee industry deepened, he decided to settle there and devote himself to coffee farming—leading to the eventual creation of Gesha Estate.
Initially, when selecting a farm location, the Overtons considered areas near the capital Addis Ababa, which offered better transportation and labor resources, but they couldn’t find a region that met their ideals. By chance, they discovered the Bench-Maji area near the Sudanese border. This region sits at an altitude between 1,909 and 2,069 meters, with a well-preserved virgin forest. The local ecology and the simplicity of its residents convinced them to set down roots. In October 2011, they officially began land preparation, gradually building what is now Gesha Estate.
By 2018, Gesha Estate’s coffee cultivation had reached approximately 320 hectares, about 68% of the estate’s total area of 471 hectares. Based on microclimate differences and varietal characteristics, the farm is further divided into eight main planting blocks: Shewa-Jibabu, Dimma, Shaya, Bangi, Gaylee, Narsha, Oma, and Surma. Each block cultivates different premium coffee varieties, including Gori Geisha (GG), which originates from the nearby Gori Gesha forest, the G31 variety selected from the Gori forest based on morphology and known for flavors similar to Panamanian Geisha, and the IF variety developed by Ethiopia’s official research institutions.
Gesha Estate has long aimed to be Ethiopia’s most sustainability-focused and eco-friendly coffee farm. It adopts rigorous and environmentally friendly practices across every production stage—from planting and harvesting to processing and management—and maintains uncompromising quality control, committed to building long-term trust with both local staff and international consumers.
Two highly anticipated lots this year come from the Surma and Bangi plots. The Surma plot primarily grows the G31 Geisha variety, known for its bright purple and white floral aromas. The selected Lot #94 not only boasts intense floral scents but also offers a refreshing citrusy acidity reminiscent of grapefruit, along with a soft mouthfeel akin to lactic acid. Its finish extends into a warm, maltose-like sweetness. Overall, it presents a very balanced profile, ideal for coffee lovers who prefer a bright and refreshing style of Gesha.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
