When we last wrote in depth about Geisha (also spelled Gesha) coffees in 2017, a 100-pound lot of this prized variety of Arabica, grown at Hacienda La Esmeralda by the Peterson family, had just broken the then-current record for the highest price ever paid for a green coffee: $601 per pound. Flash forward to July of this year, when that record was shattered by the Lamastus family, whose Elida
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Colombia Finca La Maria Geisha Natural
This exceptional coffee was selected as the No. 17 coffee on Coffee Review’s list of the Top 30 Coffees of 2019. This coffee also tied for the second-highest rating in a cupping of coffees of the Geisha/Gesha variety of Arabica for Coffee Review’s September 2019 tasting report. Produced from trees of the rare Ethiopia-derived botanical variety Geisha (also spelled Gesha) by Orlando and Maria
Top Coffees by Category – 2018
In 2015, we began the practice of recognizing top coffees by category to focus attention on fine coffees that may not have earned a place on our Top 30 Coffees list. The coffees below may not have attracted the highest scores of the year but they merit recognition for their excellence nonetheless. For more information, visit our expanded rankings post from 2015. We tip our hat to our 2018 top
Best Value Coffees of 2018
Some readers seek coffees with highest scores regardless of price. Others look for great value, that is highly rated coffees that are also affordable relative to other similar quality coffees. The coffees below were singled out on our 2018 list of Top Coffees by Category as the best values in 2018. As of November 29, 2018, all of these fine coffees are available for sale on the roasters'
Shop the Top 30
Coffee Review's mission is to help consumers identify and purchase superior quality coffees and, in the process, help drive demand and increase prices to reward farmers and roasters who invest time, passion, and capital in producing high quality coffee beans. Many of our readers seek out highly rated coffees for their own enjoyment or as thoughtful gifts for coffee lovers. Coffees that appear
Klatch Coffee
Buy Gift Cards Klatch Coffee is an award-winning small-batch roasting company in the Los Angeles area with a distinguished record as a coffee leader and innovator. Roastermaster Mike Perry blends a background in chemical engineering with a love for great coffee to balance science and art in creating consistently outstanding, highly rated coffees and espressos. Resident barista and trainer,
Kenya Kabingara
Produced from trees of the admired SL-28 and SL-34 varieties of Arabica. Despite grower discontent, contested government coffee policy and urban encroachment on prime coffee lands, the famed Kenya coffee auction system and its participating cooperatives continue to produce some of the world’s most elegant and distinctive coffees. Klatch Coffee is an award-winning small-batch roasting company in
Value Coffees: Searching for the Exceptional at Everyday Prices
At Coffee Review, we often feel conflicting impulses and pressures in regard to coffee retail prices. On one hand, we feel strongly that high retail prices are essential to support producers as well as to honor our commitment to coffee as an extraordinary beverage. On the other, we want to be inclusive and recognize that many readers may not choose to pay a premium for brilliant microlot
Sumatra Mutu Batak
This exceptional coffee was selected as the No. 9 coffee on Coffee Review’s list of the Top 30 Coffees of 2018. This coffee tied for the top rating in a cupping of Value Coffees for Coffee Review‘s March 2018 tasting report. Produced by smallholding farmers from the Ateng, Jember and Garundang varieties of Arabica. Coffees like this one from the northern part of the Indonesian island of Sumatra
Kenya AB Muchoki
Produced on the single-family Muchoki Estate from trees of the admired Bourbon-derived SL-28 variety of Arabica together with the Ruiru 11 variety. AB is the second-highest grade of Kenya coffee based on bean size and freedom from physical defects. Despite grower discontent, confusing government coffee policy and urban encroachment on prime coffee lands, Kenya continues to produce some of the
Top 30 Coffees of 2016
We are pleased to present our list of the Top 30 Coffees of 2016, Coffee Review’s fourth annual ranking of the most exciting coffees we reviewed over the course of the past year. In 2016, we cupped thousands of samples and published nearly 400 coffee reviews. Approximately 90 of the reviewed coffees scored 94 points or higher. Obviously, all coffees earning scores of 94 points or more are
Panama Camilina Natural Geisha
Produced from trees of the rare Ethiopia-derived botanical variety Gesha (also Geisha) by farmer Roberto Brenes of Finca La Aurora. With its generally elongated beans and distinctive floral and crisp, often chocolaty cup, the Gesha variety continues to distinguish itself as one of the world’s most unique coffees. This is a dry-processed or “natural” Gesha, meaning the beans were dried inside the
Category Rankings – 2016
In the past, our Top 30 Coffees lists tended to favor high-scoring coffees produced from botanical varieties of Arabica with striking sensory properties such as Geshas, coffees from the distinctive traditional Ethiopian varieties, Kenyan coffees, and so on. Last year, we began the practice of recognizing coffees by category to focus attention on fine coffees from other parts of the world and/or
Learning from Sumatras
I’ve been cupping coffee professionally for less than a year. Ken Davids first hired me at Coffee Review last August, given that my background in food and wine writing, as well as in academia, seemed a good enough calling card to dip into the world of coffee. But, of course, in order to properly do this work, I would need to be trained in cupping, the rigorous sensory evaluation of coffee. While
Sumatra Lintong Mutu Batak
This exceptional coffee was selected as the #29 coffee on Coffee Review’s list of the Top 30 Coffees of 2016. Produced by smallholding farmers from the Ateng, Jember and Garundang varieties of Arabica. Coffees from the northern part of the Indonesian island of Sumatra are valued for their complex earth and fruit notes that appear to result largely from unorthodox fruit removal and drying
Top 30 Coffees of 2015
We are pleased to present our Top 30 Coffees of 2015, Coffee Review’s third annual ranking of the most noteworthy coffees among those we reviewed over the past twelve months. In 2015, we cupped thousands of samples and published more than 300 coffee reviews. Approximately ninety of the reviewed coffees scored 94 points or higher. Obviously, all coffees earning scores of 94 points or more are
Panama Altieri Natural Geisha
This exceptional coffee was selected as the No. 16 coffee on Coffee Review’s list of the Top 30 Coffees of 2015. With its bold, boat-shaped beans and distinctive floral and crisply cacao-toned cup, the Gesha (also Geisha) variety of Arabica continues to produce some of the world’s most unique coffees. Klatch Coffee is an award-winning small-batch roasting company in the Los Angeles area whose
Ethiopia Hambela Natural
Oromia is a coffee region in southern Ethiopia that produces distinctive coffees from traditional varieties of Arabica long grown in the region. This is a “natural” or dry-processed version, meaning the beans were dried inside the fruit rather than after the fruit has been removed, as is the case with wet-processed or “washed” coffees. Hambela Estate has produced fine coffee since the 1950’s. It
Kenya Gachatha AA
This exceptional coffee was selected as the No. 4 coffee on Coffee Review’s list of the Top 30 Coffees of 2015. Produced from trees of the admired Bourbon-derived SL 28 and SL 34 varieties of Arabica. AA is the highest grade of Kenya coffee based on bean size and freedom from physical defects. Despite grower discontent, confusing government coffee policy and urban encroachment on prime coffee
Roaster of the Year Competition
Developed to recognize and inspire excellence in roasting, the Roast Magazine Roaster of the Year competition is now in its 12th year. There are two award categories - macro roaster and micro roaster - which are based on company mission, commitment to sustainable practices, commitment to employees and educational practices, coffee quality, commitment to and involvement in the industry, and