Tanzania Leon Christianakis, Acacia Hills - Gesha
As stunning as Leon Christianakis’ washed geisha from Acacia Hills, Tanzania, was last season, this season it is truly a bombshell in the cup, and it blew us away when it landed on our cupping table in November—if we had to, we’d score it at an additional 3-4 points on top of what we would’ve rated it last year. This offering is, extremely delicate and complex, and presents the most beautiful characteristics to be expected both of the geisha varietal, as well as Tanzanian terroir. Namely, expect to be immediately hit with an bouquet of rose, bathed in mellow orange cantaloupe nectar, and topped off with deep, sweet, red hibiscus. This isn’t one to miss out on this season.
Leon Christianakis is the third generation of his family to grow coffee in Tanzania, his ancestors having immigrated from Greece in the early 20th century, with the intention of making a living in coffee production. The land they initially cultivated was not suitable, however, to growing specialty-grade coffee due to its low altitude; consequently, in the early 2000s, Leon began searching for lands at higher altitude that would be more suitable to the cultivation of coffee of exceptional quality. In 2007, Leon, in partnership with Mark Stell, purchased the land on Mount Oldeani that would become Acacia Hills, and planted trees whose varietals have high quality potential at altitude, namely, kent, SL28, pacamara, and geisha, which makes up this offering.
Geisha is one of the most prized varietals of coffee due to its absolutely exceptional quality, and particularly intense, even perfumed florality, sweetness, and clarity of flavor. Geisha is an Ethiopian heirloom varietal, having been first identified in the 1930s in the forests of Gori Gesha. The varietal first attracted global attention in 2005, when the Peterson family of Hacienda La Esmeralda in Boquete, Panama entered a lot of geisha grown on their estate into the Best of Panama competition, and won. Ever since, geisha has come to enjoy the status of the most lauded varietal of coffee in commercial cultivation, and is heavily represented among winning lots in Cup of Excellence competitions annually.
To maintain the integrity of the delicate flavor-balance present in this coffee, we recommend enjoying it black.
All coffee is sold whole-bean to reduce oxidization, and increase the longevity of volatile aromatic compounds.
As stunning as Leon Christianakis’ washed geisha from Acacia Hills, Tanzania, was last season, this season it is truly a bombshell in the cup, and it blew us away when it landed on our cupping table in November—if we had to, we’d score it at an additional 3-4 points on top of what we would’ve rated it last year. This offering is, extremely delicate and complex, and presents the most beautiful characteristics to be expected both of the geisha varietal, as well as Tanzanian terroir. Namely, expect to be immediately hit with an bouquet of rose, bathed in mellow orange cantaloupe nectar, and topped off with deep, sweet, red hibiscus. This isn’t one to miss out on this season.
Leon Christianakis is the third generation of his family to grow coffee in Tanzania, his ancestors having immigrated from Greece in the early 20th century, with the intention of making a living in coffee production. The land they initially cultivated was not suitable, however, to growing specialty-grade coffee due to its low altitude; consequently, in the early 2000s, Leon began searching for lands at higher altitude that would be more suitable to the cultivation of coffee of exceptional quality. In 2007, Leon, in partnership with Mark Stell, purchased the land on Mount Oldeani that would become Acacia Hills, and planted trees whose varietals have high quality potential at altitude, namely, kent, SL28, pacamara, and geisha, which makes up this offering.
Geisha is one of the most prized varietals of coffee due to its absolutely exceptional quality, and particularly intense, even perfumed florality, sweetness, and clarity of flavor. Geisha is an Ethiopian heirloom varietal, having been first identified in the 1930s in the forests of Gori Gesha. The varietal first attracted global attention in 2005, when the Peterson family of Hacienda La Esmeralda in Boquete, Panama entered a lot of geisha grown on their estate into the Best of Panama competition, and won. Ever since, geisha has come to enjoy the status of the most lauded varietal of coffee in commercial cultivation, and is heavily represented among winning lots in Cup of Excellence competitions annually.
To maintain the integrity of the delicate flavor-balance present in this coffee, we recommend enjoying it black.
All coffee is sold whole-bean to reduce oxidization, and increase the longevity of volatile aromatic compounds.
As stunning as Leon Christianakis’ washed geisha from Acacia Hills, Tanzania, was last season, this season it is truly a bombshell in the cup, and it blew us away when it landed on our cupping table in November—if we had to, we’d score it at an additional 3-4 points on top of what we would’ve rated it last year. This offering is, extremely delicate and complex, and presents the most beautiful characteristics to be expected both of the geisha varietal, as well as Tanzanian terroir. Namely, expect to be immediately hit with an bouquet of rose, bathed in mellow orange cantaloupe nectar, and topped off with deep, sweet, red hibiscus. This isn’t one to miss out on this season.
Leon Christianakis is the third generation of his family to grow coffee in Tanzania, his ancestors having immigrated from Greece in the early 20th century, with the intention of making a living in coffee production. The land they initially cultivated was not suitable, however, to growing specialty-grade coffee due to its low altitude; consequently, in the early 2000s, Leon began searching for lands at higher altitude that would be more suitable to the cultivation of coffee of exceptional quality. In 2007, Leon, in partnership with Mark Stell, purchased the land on Mount Oldeani that would become Acacia Hills, and planted trees whose varietals have high quality potential at altitude, namely, kent, SL28, pacamara, and geisha, which makes up this offering.
Geisha is one of the most prized varietals of coffee due to its absolutely exceptional quality, and particularly intense, even perfumed florality, sweetness, and clarity of flavor. Geisha is an Ethiopian heirloom varietal, having been first identified in the 1930s in the forests of Gori Gesha. The varietal first attracted global attention in 2005, when the Peterson family of Hacienda La Esmeralda in Boquete, Panama entered a lot of geisha grown on their estate into the Best of Panama competition, and won. Ever since, geisha has come to enjoy the status of the most lauded varietal of coffee in commercial cultivation, and is heavily represented among winning lots in Cup of Excellence competitions annually.
To maintain the integrity of the delicate flavor-balance present in this coffee, we recommend enjoying it black.
All coffee is sold whole-bean to reduce oxidization, and increase the longevity of volatile aromatic compounds.
