Gary and the coffees he is roasting at My Friend’s Coffee have quickly become some of my favorites to enjoy. He is just another example that the bigger the roaster, not always the better; some of my favorite roasters are 1-2 people operations. The Geisha scene has been strong over the past few months and now that I have tried so many recently I’m intrigued to see if new ones I try can present something new or more of the same (even though the same is incredibly delicious). This Guatemalan Geisha from the Antigua region was quite unique though and had a wonderful mix of floral notes paired with caramel corn sweetness that I had never experienced before.
The coffee began with a rich, full fragrance that was bright, sweet and full of chocolate with subtle fruit & floral notes; during brewing caramel notes emerged. The flavor was simply beautiful with big floral notes at the front and creamy caramel & dried fruit in the middle and finish. As the coffee cooled the floral notes evolved and got a bit sweeter and more delicate. The complexity of the floral notes is not something I usually find or appreciate in coffees, so it was a nice surprise with this one. The coffee had a smooth mouthfeel and steady acidity. The sweetness (especially in the finish) reminded me of Corn Pops cereal. Even though it’s probably been 15 years since I’ve had it, that caramel corn character immediately came to mind as I finished each sip. After chatting with Gary about the coffee he updated his site’s description for the coffee to say “a sweet, cereal-like quality tames the citrus; think bottom-of-the-bowl Kelloggs”—I think this is the perfect description of the experience.
The Bottom Line
This Guatemalan Geisha was a true delight. It was incredibly complex with a flavor profile that evolved substantially and merged a lot of different attributes together. It’s one I’ve been savoring for sure!
