After brewing somewhere north of ten
thousand cups of coffee on the siphon, it's rare that I come across a
coffee that separates itself so far from the others that the words
“excellent,” “outstanding,” or “superb” simply do not
communicate the brilliance of the coffee. This is one such coffee.
This is a Gesha from Acatenango in
Guatemala. It is one of the two most complex coffees I have ever
tasted. The other, a Gesha from the heralded Finca Esmeralda in
Panama. Both are coffees that I roasted. These are two iterations of
the same magical cultivar with differences arising from terroir and
microclimate. With the Panama, and now, some five thousand or so cups
later with the Guatemala, all I can say is “wow!”
Let me start by saying that this is not about experiencing one sensational coffee. It's like experiencing three distinctly different sensational coffees in one cup.
Once your coffee is poured, you will
want to wait a good nine minutes to begin your journey. The first
part of the cup greets you with complex floral notes from hibiscus,
jasmine, rose, and lavender. A touch of peach blossom tea makes an
appearance, and all the floral notes are interspersed with flavors of
pomelo, pink grapefruit, and mandarin. A different set of flavor
combinations in every sip, with a buttery mouthfeel elevating the
experience.
A great siphon coffee, especially the
Gesha, is about pacing. After an additional five to eight minutes of cooling,
a juicy fruit punch and ripe berry note emerges for a few sips, with
a silky essence caressing your tongue like an passionate lover, and
leaving you with a warm, satisfied smile.
After another five minutes to eight minutes -- being wiser to opt for
the latter, sweet cream
and berries linger on your palate with a touch of assam tea and a
hint of lemon-honey. And a hint of cocoa lingers on your palate if you
wait for it. A little more patience, and you will be rewarded
with the comforting essence of warm butterscotch sweetness in the
final sips.
This is a journey worth savoring, and
should take you thirty-five to forty-five minutes once the coffee touches your
cup. Use your time well, and you will be rewarded.
The Acatenango Gesha will be offered on
siphon starting on April 12th for about two weeks. We will
offer an additional run before the end of May.
