Mugged: Geisha [Sea Island]

What does Mugged mean?

Subject: Sea Island Coffee

Mugged: Geisha, Costa Rica

Rating: 4+ [see key]

It's hard to believe that coffee trees used to be confined to East Africa, especially in today's world economy where a place with the right climate will grow coffee on at least one farm. Some places, like the island of Java, trace it's coffee trees to about the 17th century, but even today some coffee varieties are still being exported.

One such variety that has gotten an excessive amount of publicity is the geisha variety, primarily for the hefty price it fetched in some Cup of Excellence auctions. Having had the pleasure of sampling some that fabled expensive coffee, I was impressed with it then and since, I've welcomed opportunities to try similar varieties. My most recent encounter with a geisha is from Sea Island Coffee with their Geisha, Costa Rica, the second of the two coffees sent out for review. I sampled it via drip, french press and siphon.

The drip relayed notes of honey graham cracker, wheat, strawberry, a bit of cocoa, anise and some peppercorn amidst a medium body. A delicious coffee though the peppercorn proved not an attractive facet.

The french press issued a brew with more graham cracker and wheat, strawberry and a little peppercorn and cocoa within a medium body. Also good minus peppercorn.

The siphon was my favorite of this coffee, demonstrating notes of honey, a bit of nuttiness, strawberry, cocoa and hay.

Encapsulated, I can't say I'd pay as high a price as the CoE geishas fetched, but Sea Island still roasts a good geisha. Especially if you're on the right side of the Atlantic, give Sea Island's Costa Rica Geisha a swirl.



note: coffee was provided free of charge and the above review is objective feedback.

Mugged: La Esmeralda [Apres Coffee]

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What does "Mugged" mean?


Subject: Apres Cafe
Coffee Mugged: Hacienda La Esmeralda Diamond Mountain
Rating: 4+ [see key]



Aside from Kona and Jamaican Blue Mountain, coffees dubbed La Esmeralda have been all the rage ever since the Cup of Excellence auction a few years back when the Geisha bean made a rising success. Now, coffees coming from Hacienda La Esmeralda seem to ride the wave of that special bean but unless you've shelled out a good chunk of cash, it's probably not the famed bean of great worth.

Nonetheless, the farm still tends to put out good coffee even if you don't pay an excessive load. My most recent encounter with the La Esmeralda was with Apres Cafe's Hacienda La Esmeralda Diamond Mountain, a coffee that arrived in a gorgeous sleek box. The coffee itself was roasted fairly dark (not dark enough to have oil but close), a new roast profile for me as most Esmeraldas I've had tend to be a lighter roast.

I tried out the coffee in french press, vacuum press and drip (aka filtered). The french press produced a deep, succulent coffee with strong chocolate and cherry flavors and a hang of bittersweet cocoa. The vacuum press gave out a lighter, more even-keeled coffee with more of a grape flavor and a smoother chocolaty taste. The drip displayed a bright brew as well with the same grape flavors as the vac press, though it produced a bit more of the bitterness on the back end.

In a nutshell, Apres' La Esmeralda made for a good cup of coffee. If you're looking for a good coffee from a well-known farm in Panama, give Apres' Hacienda La Esmeralda Diamond Mountain a go.