Cup Review 02: Mauricio Shattah Gesha by Origin
The word ‘Gesha’ can hold some pretty heavy weight in the coffee scene. A variety that is known for its complex floral notes and it’s punchy tropical acidity. When buying a Gesha you can expect two things: quality, and a premium. I don’t much like using the word ‘better’ to describe them, as I don’t think the flavour profile is going to suite everybody. I prefer the word ‘interesting’, and for me that is what it is all about, tasting something that is interesting. Something that changes your perception about what you think coffee is. However I also happen to think they are delicious…
Coffee Information
- Origin: Colombia
- Process: Naural Anaerobic
- Variety: Gesha
- Roastery: Origin
- Brew Method: Aeropress
I had the pleasure of visiting Origin’s Harbour Head café in Porthleven recently, hence they’ve been on my mind a little more as I go to purchase beans. And although they have London locations, there was something special about visiting the place where, in their own words, ‘it all began’. Naturally when this particular coffee showed up, I was quick to snap it up. Promised notes of Jasmine, Papaya & Pineapple!? What was there to not get excited about? Not to mention the extravagant gold artwork on the packaging. Additionally to this, I had recently had a few coffees processed anaerobically, all of which were very interesting indeed, and I had made a mental note to look out for more. So ultimately all of the stars aligned, and here we had the Mauricio Shattah.
Let’s talk brew method. I am using Wendelien van Bunnik’s WAC recipe, which can be found here. For me this recipe is by far the easiest to produce fantastic results with. It excels at drawing out the full complexity of the coffee, with a richer and more full bodied cup than my pour over methods, and very defined sweetness. The downside is that the method is expensive. There is a lot of coffee going in to yield a relatively small cup, hence I reserve it for particular coffees and I certainly don’t use it as a day-to-day brew method.
Tasting
A very floral coffee on the nose. The initial taste and aroma reminding me of a delicate Earl Grey. The tea like quality gives way to the sweet tropical acidity, and I am certainly in agreement with Origin, tasting juicy pineapple. A pleasant ripe banana sweetness to finish results in a perfectly balanced cup.
Verdict
A really fantastic coffee and right up my street. I am a complete sucker for sweet tropical notes, and this natural anaerobic Gesha did not disappoint. It’s been a real treat to drink alongside my daily coffees. Going forward I will continue to hunt for anything with the word ‘Gesha’, ‘anaerobic’ and ‘pineapple’ on the box, and definitely look for one with more than 150g in it.
