Once we located our ideal piece of land in Bench Maji on which we could build Gesha Village, we planted coffee trees, relying not just on the Gori Gesha seeds we harvested from the nearby forest, but several other local varieties.
Coffee varieties
We are currently growing a few carefully chosen coffee varieties at Gesha Village Coffee Estate:
Original Gesha
These seeds were gathered from the Gori Gesha coffee forest, located 20 kilometers from our farm. Through historic expedition research and genetic testing, this location in Gori Gesha has been determined to be the collection site of the Panamanian Geisha.
We have two varieties from this site, named after the expedition when the coffee was discovered:
Gesha 1931
This is a selection made from the diverse forest population that closely resembles the Panamanian Geisha. This selection was made by looking at the plant morphology, bean shape and size, as well as its cup profile.
Gori Gesha
This original heirloom variety replicates the genetic diversity within the Gori Gesha forest. These seeds were harvested in 2011 through our own expedition. Donec ullamcorper nulla non fringilla.
Additionally, we have one cultivar from the research center in Ethiopia:
Illubabor Forest
The selection for this disease-resistant variety was made from an expedition to the Illubabor coffee forest in 1974.
Traceability
The farm is divided into 8 blocks:
| Block name: | Bangi |
| Hectare: | 54 |
| Elevation: | 1911 – 2001 m |
| Variety: | Gori Gesha |
| Block name: | Oma |
| Hectare: | 67.6 |
| Elevation: | 1931 – 2040 m |
| Variety: | Gesha 1931 |
| Block name: | Surma |
| Hectare: | 45.9 |
| Elevation: | 1909 – 2063 m |
| Variety: | Gesha 1931 |
| Block name: | Shewa –Jibabu |
| Hectare: | 48.5 |
| Elevation: | 1973 – 2069 m |
| Variety: | Gori Gesha |
| Block name: | Shaya |
| Hectare: | 36.5 |
| Elevation: | 1926 – 2069 m |
| Variety: | Gori Gesha |
| Block name: | Gaylee |
| Hectare: | 34.8 |
| Elevation: | 1916 – 1982 m |
| Variety: | Illubabor Forest |
| Block name: | Narsha |
| Hectare: | 5.3 |
| Elevation: | 1963 – 1977m |
| Variety: | Gesha 1931 |
| Block name: | Dimma |
| Hectare: | 28.7 |
| Elevation: | 1966 – 2019 m |
| Variety: | Illubabor Forest |
We have divided Gesha Village into eight sub-farms—which we refer to as blocks—where we track the production of our three varieties, as well as experiment with different approaches to processing and fermentation. Cherries picked from each block are tagged to indicate their origin, and through a tracking system we developed in-house, we follow their journey all the way from the mill to export.
To learn about our quality assurance protocols, please watch here:
| Farm area | Hectares | Elevation | Variety | Flavor profile | Block description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangi | 54 | 1,911-2,001m | Gori Gesha | Expressive aromas of honeysuckle and spices. Intense flavors of dark chocolate and spices infused with notes of Mexican mole, red fruit, black tea, molasses and black currant | The neighborhood east of the farm called ‘Bangi-Chichuru,’ where the majority of our workers come from |
| Dimma | 28.7 | 1,966-2,019m | Illubabor Forest |
A lively flavor profile of coffee blossom, stone fruit, with a pointed acidity and refreshing citrus aftertaste | Named after the famous gold-mining town of Dimma, which lies toward the north of the farm |
| Gaylee | 34.8 | 1,916-1,982m | Illubabor Forest |
A tightly knit flavor profile of fruits and spices, intense sweetness of marzipan, lemongrass, hibiscus, infused with floral notes of jasmine, and the sweetness of stone fruit | The southeast-facing kebele (neighborhood) adjacent to the farm, officially named ‘Gaylee-Gesha,’ where Gesha Village’s source of water comes from, the Yetgordon river |
| Oma | 67.6 | 1,931-2,040m | Gesha 1931 | Exotic aromas of tea rose, with the profound scent of jasmine. Delicate flavors of peach, apricot, candied fruit, melon, satsuma mandarin supported by a honey sweetness | Named after the respected and loved religious leader of the Meanit people |
| Narsha | 5.3 | 1,963-1,977m | Gesha 1931 | Honeysuckle, yellow fruit, lime, dark chocolate, peach, apricot, rose, with a clean piquant acidity, and a lingering aftertaste of bergamot | This is the smallest farm block. Located in the southern area of the farm, it’s named after an indigenous tree that is prolific in the area |
| Surma | 45.9 | 1,909-2,063m | Gesha 1931 | Soft and perfumed. Jasmine, Damascus rose, strawberry, ripe watermelon, red apple, and delicate spices | Featuring breathtaking views of the valley below, this farm block is named after the pastoralist ethnic group, the Surma, who inhabit the lowlands toward the southwest |
| Shewa- Jibabu |
48.5 | 1,973-2,069m | Gori Gesha | Flavors laced with spices, strawberry, ripe peach, papaya, floral, dark chocolate, tamarind, orange, and bergamot | Facing north, this block is named after a mountain and kebele (neighborhood) adjacent to the farm, where many of our workers come from |
| Shaya | 36.5 | 1,926-2,069m | Gori Gesha | Delicate aromas of jasmine, bergamot, and orange. Deep flavors of dark chocolate, tangerine juice, Bing cherries, molasses, Meyer lemon, berries, with the sweetness of red apple |
Named after the tribal leader of the Meanit people who governs, advises and works with the community |
Processing Types
We use several processing methods at Gesha Village Coffee Estate to bring out
the optimal flavor from our cherries. Our methods are:
Washed
This process uses the mechanical demucilager to scrub away the mucilage from the coffee cherries. The coffee then undergoes full wet fermentation, where it’s soaked for 12 to 36 hours and then channel-washed. The coffee is then shade-dried for two to three days until it reaches 30 percent moisture content, then it is sun-dried on raised African beds to 11 percent moisture. The coffee undergoes 12 to 19 total drying days in this process.
Natural
In this process, the coffee is sun-dried with the whole coffee cherry intact in thin layers on raised African beds. A parabolic plastic cover is used in the evening for increased air-flow to the coffee. The coffee undergoes 18 to 30 total drying days in the natural process.
Honey
In this type of processing, the skin of the fresh cherry is physically removed by a pulper machine without the addition of water, as with fully washed processing. After pulping, the coffee bypasses the demucilager to retain its mucilage. The coffee is then dried until it reaches 11 percent moisture content.
Plantation Facts
| Harvest: | Early October to mid-January |
| Location: | Southwestern Ethiopia, Bench Maji zone |
| Land: | Total farm area of 471 hectares, 320 hectares planted with coffee |
| Elevation: | 1,909-2,069 meters above sea level |
| Total trees: | 700,000 |
| Preservation area: | 27% |
| Shade: | Agroforestry system with a mix of indigenous shade tree varieties |
| Soil: | Virgin forest, brown-red loamy soil |
| Temperature: | 9-30˚C |
| Wildlife: | Variety of birds, wild boar, deer, cheetah, buffalo, lion, colobus monkey, hyena, porcupine, rabbit, and other endemic species |
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