The Rare Box Series: the story behind Geisha Village Estate

At Stitch Coffee, every cup tells a story. With our new Rare Box series, we’re thrilled to share four extraordinary coffee lots with you—each one a testament to craftsmanship, innovation, and an unwavering passion for coffee.

Among these gems is Surma lot no. 24/112, a Geisha 1931 variety from the world-renowned Geisha Village Estate. But what makes this particular coffee so special?

Let us take you on the journey from farm to cup with the wonderful producers at Geisha Village Estate.

When our roastery team looks for new producers to source from, quality is only one factor—shared values are another.

Geisha Village Estate stood out to us for its agroforestry approach to coffee farming and its commitment to bringing the specialty geisha variety back to Ethiopia (and a stone’s throw away from its birthplace in the Gori Geisha forest no less). This ethos is in line with our mission at Stitch Coffee—to deliver exceptional coffee while supporting sustainable, community-driven practices.

Located in the remote Bench Maji zone of western Ethiopia, Geisha Village Estate is at the forefront of coffee innovation. Their decision to reintroduce the geisha variety to West Africa has not only produced world-class coffee but revitalized the local community, slowly building a sustainable coffee industry within a region once disconnected from global markets.

For us, the opportunity to work with a farm that blends innovation with a deep respect for heritage was too compelling to pass up.

The Surma lot, in particular, holds a special place in our hearts. One of the eight blocks within the estate, the Surma sub-farm is named with respect to the local ethnic group who reside in the nearby lowlands.

More than just a flavour profile, we’re excited to have in rotation a coffee that’s actively invigorating the specialty coffee industry in Bench Maji.

Geisha Village Estate’s origin story has the makings of a major motion picture (literally—Ethiopian founder Rachel Samuel and her partner Adam Overton were in Ethiopia to film a documentary about coffee when they fell in love with the industry).

While making the documentary in 2007, Rachel and Adam met coffee educator Willem Boot, who introduced them to the magic of the geisha variety. While geisha was originally discovered in Ethiopia, it was only when the trees made their way to Panama that the variety achieved global recognition.

Inspired by this connection, Rachel and her partner decided to return to Ethiopia to find the perfect land for growing geisha coffee. After months of searching, they found their paradise in the highlands of Bench Maji, close to the Gori Geisha forest—the very birthplace of the geisha variety.

With wild seeds harvested from the forest, the team embarked on the monumental task of building a coffee farm from the ground up. Over the years, Geisha Village Estate has become a beacon of quality, producing some of the most sought-after coffee in the world.

Their Surma block, where the Geisha 1931 lot in our Rare Box series was grown, boasts breathtaking views and ideal conditions for coffee cultivation. Each cherry is meticulously picked, processed, and tracked to ensure that the final cup reflects the essence of the farm.

Named after the expedition that first processed this variety, Geisha 1931 closely resembles Panama geisha in both appearance and cup profile, but with an added complexity that comes from its Ethiopian origins.

This particular coffee is known for its intensely floral and fruity notes, with a delicate spiciness that lingers on the palate. The Surma lot offers a vibrant bouquet of jasmine, bergamot, and tropical fruits, making it a truly unique sensory experience.

Geisha Village Estate brought Geisha 1931 into the limelight in 2023 when the lot from that year broke the record as the highest-paid geisha variety to be sourced from Africa. An achievement that further cemented the estate’s place as one of the premier coffee producers in the world.

At Stitch Coffee, we’re proud to share this rare and exceptional coffee with you. The Geisha 1931 lot from the Surma block is a shining example of what happens when tradition and innovation come together.

It’s a coffee that not only tastes extraordinary but represents the hard work, dedication, and passion of everyone involved in its production. Now available as part of the Rare Box series in Stitch Coffee cafes and online.