2004 — the Gesha revolution
At Hacienda La Esmeralda in Boquete, a variety of then-unknown origin growing among the farm’s trees stunned cuppers at the 2004 Best of Panama. The interplay of jasmine, bergamot, peach and passion fruit overturned the very idea of what Arabica was. The variety was traced to the village of Gesha in southwestern Ethiopia, and under the names "Geisha" and "Gesha" it has since spread to high farms around the world. Panamanian Gesha keeps setting records at the Best of Panama Geisha auction — tens of thousands of yen per pound and beyond — and reigns as the pinnacle of luxury specialty coffee.