ARTICLE REPRINT

Variety is the Spice of Coffee

Geisha and Other Varietals

by Willem Boot

This article was originally published in the May/June 2006 MY HORSE slowly ascends the slippery terrain tasting session, we performed a blind cupping test issue of Roast of one of the slopes of Volcan Baru, Panama. of the diversity of coffee varieties from the family With each curve I round along the tiny track estate and we tasted the sweet, refreshing acidity that’s carved in this part of the mountain, I of arabica typica, the clean citric lemon notes of am presented with an astounding view over the estate-grown caturra, the winey aftertaste the lower valley that reaches out to the shining of a bourbon and the disappointing bitter-sour waters of the Pacifi c. The sun spreads a glowing aftertaste of the catimor. afternoon warmth over the mountain. The Despite our disapproval of the fl avor profi le terrain is lush, full of beautiful medium- to of the catimor variety, the estate grower continued high-growth trees waving in the calm wind. the cultivation of the hybrid, which had been Through the mixed cover of shade trees, I recommended for its high-yielding properties see a number of colorful birds taking off, their and disease resistance. Only three years after feathers weaving a contrast against the light planting, the catimor trees already produced 50 blue sky. My companion walks towards me, percent more cherries per acre than the typica. his hands fi lled with dirt, saying, “Look at this Despite these production benefi ts, the estate beautiful soil with its rich organic matter.” grower ultimately reported that he was unable to Before I realize it, I am smelling the soil; clean, sell the catimor at sustainable price levels. Finally, wet earth with a slightly perfumy aroma. I think he decided to replace all of the catimor trees with to myself: if I were a coffee tree, this humus- caturra and typica. rich earth is where I would want to grow. The story of this coffee grower is not To make a long story very short, I was unique; most medium- to larger-sized coffee trying to decide whether or not to purchase farmers continually analyze the pros and cons this small, pristine plot of land with rich soil of the varieties they select for their farm. In this and beautiful views. Needless to say, I already process, most farmers are infl uenced by regional knew the answer: yes. But before I even bought traditions and of course by the availability of the land, I was already asking the important seeds or seedlings of new varieties. Generally, question that many farmers around the world few farmers will experiment with varieties that have to deal with during their career: Which have not been planted and tested in their own variety should I plant? region. As a result, it may take many years before In the years that I have been tasting coffee innovations with new, unknown varieties become in producing countries, I have become intrigued accepted throughout a coffee-producing region by the infl uence of the coffee variety on the or country. The coffee variety, with its profound fl avor profi le of the bean. I vividly remember impact on the fl avor profi le, can be a crucial a tasting session with a well-known specialty parameter for quality differentiation and for the coffee producer in Central America who had bet market success of a single producer or an entire the future of his family estate on a hybrid coffee coffee origin. variety called “catimor.” During this memorable continued on next page

r o a s t • article reprint 1

1631 NE Broadway No. 125, Portland, OR 97232-1425 | P 503.282.2399 F 503.282.2388 | www.roastmagazine.com | [email protected] A RTICLE R EPRINT ( CONTINUED )

During the past few years, I have Examples of Arabica Coffee typica. The original bourbon varieties were become more interested in coffee farming Varieties & Their Cupping called “French Mission,” while their later and through my travels around the world, Profi les progenies from Kenya and Tanzania were I became very intrigued by the secrets and indicated by letters or numbers, like SL28 myths of the complex job of the grower. and SL34. Ultimately, I have become convinced that J Typica the pursuit for exemplary coffee starts at the Various names are J Caturra farm; this is where quality is created and at used to identify Caturra its essential core lies the choice for the coffee this distinct coffee variety. Any coffee professional should be was fi rst variety, known for aware of the fact that choosing a variety is discovered in the elongated oval like balancing between two fundamental Brazil where shape of the bean. economic principles: quantity versus quality. it has been In Central America, As a result, varieties like mundo novo, catuai cultivated I have also heard the names “arabigo” and and catimor are more popular for their commercially since 1937, fi rst in Minas high-yielding properties, while varieties like “criollo.” Typica plants can have a somewhat Gerais, Brazil and later throughout Latin typica, bourbon and caturra are renowned conical shape and can reach heights of up America. Caturra is a mutation of bourbon, for their capacities to produce an exemplary to 15 feet. The lateral branches are generally and it has the ability to produce good cup. tilted upwards at a 50–70 degree angle quality with high production volumes. In In a country like Panama, at least a towards the vertical stem. Typica generally order to maintain the production effi ciency, handful of varieties have been noted for produces exemplary quality with a low their ability to produce good quality with the trees must be continually fertilized production volume, and almost always effi cient volumes of production. A number and pruned. The trees are relatively produces a clean and resonant acidity which of areas in the Chiriqui province of short with a thick vertical stem and many increases in intensity at higher elevations. Panama—Boquete, Volcan, Santa Clara and secondary branches. The leaves show The cup profi le can be citric-lemony with Piedra Candela—offer optimal conditions many similarities with the bourbon leaves. fl oral notes and sweet lingering aftertaste. for the production of the fi nest-quality The cup characteristics of caturra include coffee beans: various unique microclimates, well-pronounced acidity with often citric excellent precipitation, optimal variations J Bourbon or lemony fl avor notes, especially at higher between day and night temperatures and, Bourbon was fi rst last but not least, well-established know- elevations. Caturra is not always as sweet discovered on how about the cultivation and processing of as typica or bourbon, but this can vary with different coffee varieties. Reunion, an island the frequency and intensity of fertilization In the past few years, Panama farmers near Madagascar, applications. The beans can show a neat, “discovered” an exciting coffee variety originally named dense complexity with a centercut that that has been grown in Panama since the Bourbon. Some seems to be embedded more into the inner early 1960s: geisha. Just as specialty coffee experts claim that layers of the bean. cuppers have become thrilled by the fl avor the bourbon variety profi le of this variety, many farmers in is nothing more than a natural mutation of J Catuai the typica variety, while others make the case Panama have become mesmerized by its Catuai is a hybrid of the mundo novo and that bourbon is a variety on its own, and I economic potential. In just a few years caturra varieties. Catuai can be planted at totally agree. After cupping many bourbon time, geisha has already developed the a higher density (more trees per acre) and types grown in Africa and Latin America, status of “Grand Queen,” while the scale of will produce high yields, provided that I have concluded that there is something commercial cultivation and production still the farmer fertilizes properly. One benefi t like the “bourbon fl avor,” which can be remains in the infancy stage. (As a side note, of catuai is its resistance against strong summarized as having a bright acidity roasters beware! Many nurseries in Panama winds and rain; the cherries do not easily with a winey, sweet aftertaste. Bourbons are fi lled with geisha seedlings, which will fall off under those conditions. During cultivated at higher elevations almost always create a phenomenal increase in geisha the 2005/2006 harvest, some growers in present fl oral aromatic properties. There are cultivation within the next fi ve years). Panama lost up to 30 percent of their crop also some key differences between bourbon So, coming back to my initial question; as a result of strong rainfall. Most of these and typica plants and beans. The leaves of Which variety should I plant? Typica, farmers did not grow the catuai variety but the bourbon tree are broad and the fruit caturra, bourbon or maybe geisha? To other, more susceptible varieties. In all my answer this question, I began reviewing my is relatively small and dense, resulting in options, both for production effi ciency and smaller, somewhat rounder beans than continued on next page for fl avor profi le. r o a s t • article reprint 2

1631 NE Broadway No. 125, Portland, OR 97232-1425 | P 503.282.2399 F 503.282.2388 | www.roastmagazine.com | [email protected] A RTICLE R EPRINT ( CONTINUED )

cupping trials, I have not found a typical J Catimor has the tendency to roast too fast after the catuai fl avor profi le. However, I have noted A cross between a natural arabica-robusta completion of the fi rst crack. As a result, that the sweetness of catuai beans can be hybrid from Timor and caturra. It was the roaster operator must roast geisha with infl uenced strongly by proper fertilization fi rst created in Portugal in 1959. Benefi ts moderate heat during the fi rst stage of the methods. Specifi cally the application of include resistance against coffee rust, high roasting process. natural, organic compost can intensify yields and better capabilities to withstand sweetness levels and improve the fl avor the effects of Coffee Berry Disease, which Geisha Discoveries profi le signifi cantly. is especially feared in East Africa. The cup quality of catimor is quite distinct because During the past months, I have been able J Mundo Novo of its sour acidity with a slightly astringent to do extensive research by interviewing Another natural hybrid between the typica mouthfeel and often a somewhat salty various coffee breeding experts from and bourbon varieties. The benefi ts of aftertaste. In Latin America, the cultivation Panama, Ethiopia and France. mundo novo include high productivity and of catimor varieties was initially widely The exotic Ethiopian variety was fi rst good resistance to diseases. The plant is propagated by agronomists and agricultural introduced to Panama through CATIE, a resilient and does well in medium to high “experts” who could not look beyond the renowned agronomic research institute in elevations. Unfortunately, I have never narrow horizon of volume production. In Costa Rica. But, how did geisha get there tasted an exemplary mundo novo coffee. the past 10 years, they have all proven to be and where did it originate in Ethiopia? The fl avor profi le often lacks sweetness and wrong in their advice, leaving many farmers Jean-Pierre Labouisse, a French coffee can present pronounced bitter undertones. behind who were unable to sell their breeding expert working for CIRAD (a well- Extensive nutrition and fertilization of the catimor beans against sustainable prices. known French research institute) was able tree will allow the farmer to improve cup to shed some light on the roots of geisha. quality. J Geisha “In 1931, geisha seeds were collected in a Last but not least, there is the earlier- forest coffee area in Southwest Ethiopia,” J Maragogype mentioned geisha varietal, which I fi rst he said. “Several sites exist with a slightly This varietal is named after a place called tasted at the Best of Panama cupping different spelling, which is not unusual in “Maragogype” in Bahia, Brazil. When competition in 2004. Our panel of judges Ethiopia. In this case, the original name is my father started his specialty roastery had already tasted a fi rst group of well- in the Amharic language and three similar in Holland in the mid-1970s, he carried processed, lemony-citric Panamas and then, names circulate which are all phonetic maragogypes from at least three different like a thunderbolt, came that magnifi cent interpretations: Gesha in the province of countries. In general, the fl avor profi le of geisha produced by Price Peterson. Without Kaffa, district of Kefa; Gesha in the province these unusually large beans is very mild hesitation, I scored the coffee a 94, and the of Kaffa, district of Maji and Goldiya; and with a subtle sweet acidity. Maragogype fl avor left our panel of cuppers dazzled. Gecha in the province of Illubabor, district of is not easy to roast—the beans must be A tall, elegant tree with large fruits, Mocha.” roasted slow and light enough to develop geisha’s benefi ts include resistance against The geisha seeds were probably collected the unique fl avor profi le, which is then rust. Some farmers in Panama have also in bulk from different trees. The distribution best extracted with a vacuum pot or a reported that geisha can withstand fungi like of the seeds was handled through the British genuine “Kona” coffee maker. Maragogype “Ojo de Gallo” better than other varieties. Consulate; they were exported in 1931 and is a mutation of the typica variety and the The cupping profi le of geisha produced 1932 to the Kitale Center in Kenya under production yield is very low. in Panama includes a fl oral aroma with a the names Abyssinian and Geisha. persistent clean and exotic sweet aftertaste, From Kenya, offspring seeds have J Pacamara supported by a resonant refreshing acidity, been planted in the Kawanda station, A cousin of the maragogype, this variety is a like in the tamarind fruit. The mouthfeel Uganda and in the Lyamungu station, cross between maragogype and pacas. can be surprisingly smooth and silky. Tanzania in 1936. The geisha that Inspecting geisha coffee, we specifi cally was planted later in Panama, was fi rst J Pacas notice the elongated, curvy and thin shape introduced to CATIE, Costa Rica in of the beans. Additionally, it seems like A cross between caturra and bourbon; July 1953 as a progeny of the tree from the centercut of geisha is drawn deeper produces good yields and can perform very Lyamungu, Tanzania. I have been told into the bean, creating the impression that well at medium to higher elevations. that the original geisha tree still exists in we are dealing with a softer coffee type. Lyamungu. During the roasting process, I have noticed that geisha very much behaves like Mocha Harrar or like the variety pacamara, and it continued on next page

r o a s t • article reprint 3

1631 NE Broadway No. 125, Portland, OR 97232-1425 | P 503.282.2399 F 503.282.2388 | www.roastmagazine.com | [email protected] A RTICLE R EPRINT ( CONTINUED )

Geisha trees were fi rst cultivated in Bellachew explained that geisha is a choice for me—and just recently I was able Panama in the 1960s. The fi rst seeds were heterozygous plant, which also explains an to obtain ten thousand seedling geisha baby introduced in 1963 by Don Pachi Serracin. interesting phenomenon about geisha. Until trees. Next summer, they will be planted His two sons, Mario and Francisco now, coffee experts believed that there were on my Panama land, and thus will begin a currently play an important role in the two different types of geisha, the variety chapter in the uncertain but exciting life of emerging geisha culture of Panama. Mario producing bronze tip leafs and the geisha a new specialty coffee grower in search of a is a geisha expert and renowned agronomist producing green tip leafs. According to the great cup profi le. and Francisco Serracin was the second explanation of Dr. Bayetta, geisha trees— farmer to present geisha at the Panama due to their heterozygous properties—can cupping competition. In the cupping event change the color of their tip leafs from one of 2005, he won second place, just behind generation to the next. Conclusion: there is the geisha of Price Peterson’s Jaramillo only one geisha! WILLEM BOOT is president of Boot Estate. Coffee Consulting & Training in Mill The fl avor profi le of the Panama geisha Valley, Calif., specializing in cupping and represents a unique complexity of a fl oral Ten Thousand Baby Geishas roasting courses and strategic consulting for aroma with an exotic Ethiopian aftertaste, the coffee industry. Willem can be reached supported by the resonant refreshing While in Panama, I had the opportunity at [email protected] or at acidity of the fi nest Panamanian coffee to visit the beautiful organic coffee farm 415.380.1999. types. When geisha was fi rst introduced to “Hacienda Barbara,” owned by the Bay Area Panama, the growers planted the variety Rogers Family (JBR Roasters) and managed in between the other popular coffee by Mario Serracin. As Serracin guided me varieties like typica, caturra and Catuai, around the fi nca, I had the opportunity to thus creating a cocktail of varieties within compare the fl avor of ripe coffee cherries the same farm. Currently, this practice from various varieties. It is interesting to is sometimes judged with skepticism by notice how different coffee cherries can taste specialty buyers who prefer the concept of from one variety to the other. The fl avor of coffee growers planting one variety per plot. this 100 percent organic geisha cherry was However, this growing style may have outstanding: intensely sweet notes of mango played a role in the fl avor of today’s geisha. and papaya with a lingering perfumy fl oral Dr. Mario Serracin, Panama’s expert fi nish; just like geisha tastes in the cup! in organic coffee farming and a geisha After that experience, I felt there was connoisseur explains, “The Panama geisha no going back—geisha was the varietal of most likely evolved from the original geisha as a result of cross-pollinization, which is basically the natural process of coffee varieties creating cross-breeds.” While discussing this theory during a dinner in Addis Abeba, I asked the Ethiopian breeding expert Dr. Bayetta Bellachew, of the Jimma Agricultural Research Center for his opinion. “The likelihood of cross-pollinization is relatively Subscriptions within the U.S. are only $25/year. low and dependant of many factors, like (Canada/Mexico–$35 U.S./year Other countries–$50 U.S./year) the proximity of the trees, the timing of the fl owering cycle for each variety and To subscribe or for more information contact us of the overall genetic constitution of the at 503.282.2399 or visit www.roastmagazine.com coffee variety,” he said. “Traditionally, when we develop selective breeding programs Roast magazine for coffee varieties, I will always prefer 1631 NE Broadway, No. 125, not to utilize heterozygous plants, as Portland OR 97232 | e-mail [email protected] they generally contain different genetic combinations within the same plant while homozygous plants have a fi xed genetic structure.” r o a s t • article reprint 4

1631 NE Broadway No. 125, Portland, OR 97232-1425 | P 503.282.2399 F 503.282.2388 | www.roastmagazine.com | [email protected]