Gesha Village - Lot 50

Gesha Village is a force. Coffee from Rachel and Adam's farm in the jungle of western Ethiopia has found its way to the world stage numerous times, and for good reason. It is considered a "bucket list" coffee offering for many roasters around the world. We’ve had the tremendous privilege of roasting coffee from Gesha Village Estate on numerous occasions, both for world barista competitors and for all of you at home—we don’t take that privilege lightly.

MEET THE PRODUCER | The Gesha Village project started in 2007 as an effort by Rachel Samuel and Adam Overton to document native, wild coffee species growing in the Gori Gesha Forest in the Bench Maji zone, where the Gesha variety originated.

In 2011, Rachel and Adam found the perfect piece of land on which to build the coffee farm of their dreams. They found that dream realized in this property, not far from the Gori Gesha forest. The estate has grown to over 700,000 coffee trees and 30,000 native shade trees. With the partnership of the local Meanit Shasha Woreda people, the Gesha Village project has returned the value surrounding the name "Gesha" back to the forests where the coffee originated.

TRUST THE PROCESS | This naturally processed coffee first underwent rigorous hand-sorting to ensure that only the ripest, highest quality cherries remained. Then, the whole cherries were placed on raised beds to dry in the sun until they reached ideal moisture content. During this time, the cherries were consistently turned to ensure even drying.

TAKE A SIP | Lot 50 features a variety called Gesha1931, selected from Gori Gesha forest and noted for its similarity to the Gesha grown in Panama. This cup echoes the characteristics we associate with traditional Panama Gesha, as specifically conveyed in its pillowy soft texture. A subtle expression of natural processing combines with the Gesha 1931 to create a distinctly Ethiopian expression of the Gesha profile.

When hot, this coffee expresses a bouquet of floral aromatics, specifically expressed as magnolia blossom and wildflower honey. An intense citric acidity rides alongside those floral attributes, hinting at citrus zest and fresh bergamot. Sweetness wells up and nods toward juicy fruit flavors like fresh peach and melon.

When warm, acidity rises. Peach gets louder, and melon comes into focus specifically as honeydew. The sweetness refines into a distinct maple note, while processing character emerges in the traditional sun-dried Ethiopian flavor of blueberry.

Once cool, we find this coffee to be its most dynamic. It maintains its florality, yet the acid intensifies once more. Our citrus moves from zest to freshly squeezed juices of lemon, lime, and grapefruit. What once presented as peach and melon transmutes to tropical fruit—mango, passion fruit, and lychee harmonize. Blueberry becomes more complex, emerging as pomegranate. The maple sweetness moves to panela, and in its balance with fresh fruits and florals, it creates the sensation of a sweet tea.

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Origin | Bench Maji Zone, Gesha, Ethiopia

Producer | Adam Overton, Rachel Samuel, & Willem Boot

Farm | Gesha Village

Process | Natural

Variety | Gesha 1931

Produced by Adam Overton, Rachel Samuel, and Willem Boot, Gesha Village - Lot 50 represents a meticulous approach to the Gesha 1931 varietal. Cultivated in the Bench Maji Zone of Ethiopia, this lot undergoes a natural process, a method often associated with enhanced sweetness and complex fruit-forward profiles. While natural-processed coffees frequently exhibit heavier body and deep berry notes, the specific expression of this lot highlights a vibrant spectrum ranging from delicate magnolia and wildflower honey to bright citrus and tropical fruits like mango and lychee.

Roasters like Black & White Coffee Roasters often select such high-quality lots to showcase the inherent clarity and aromatic intensity characteristic of the Gesha lineage. When evaluating the nuanced layers of panela, bergamot, and stone fruit found here, enthusiasts may find it helpful to reference a flavor wheel to better categorize the diverse sensory experience provided by this exceptional Ethiopian harvest.