ETHIOPIA Sidamo Bench Maji Geisha Kermacha

Processing: Natural; SCA Score: 87 pts.

Delicate flavor with intense sweetness, floral tones with pronounced jasmine, apricot, mango, plum, and chocolate.

Although it is believed that a wild Geisha variety originated in the Western Omo area, this woreda (district) is the only area in Western Omo suitable for coffee cultivation. In fact, local people do not typically grow coffee, but rather sorghum and maize. However, wild Geisha grows in the coffee forests of Bench Maji, and sometimes external pickers are hired to harvest the wild Geisha and deliver it to nearby farms for processing.

Workers selectively hand-pick the red, ripe cherries and take them to the farm’s processing mill. The cherries are floated to remove unripe or damaged fruit and then spread out to dry on raised beds. Workers rake them frequently to ensure even drying. The process takes approximately 20–23 days.

The Geisha variety (also known as Gesha) is renowned for its exceptional cup quality, particularly when grown at high altitudes. This variety originates from Ethiopian landrace coffees and was collected from the coffee forests of Ethiopia in the 1930s. The name is believed to come from the Gori Gesha forest in Ethiopia.