Stumptown Coffee releases the extraordinary Guatemala Finca El Injerto Gesha just in time for the holidays
Our favorite thing about this time of year? The amazing holiday coffees that roll out. Blends, special lots, processing flights ”we love them all.
So when Stumptown VP Matt Lounsbury texted me the other day about “a hot preview giftiepoo” the Portland, Ore.-based company wanted to get to us, I couldn’t wait to find out what it was. I dropped by Stumptown’s roaster this morning, and low and behold: what was waiting for me was one of the most special coffees I think I’ve ever encountered: Gesha from Finca El Injerto in Guatemala.
Why so special? So many reasons. Of course, the Aguirres ”Arturo Sr. and Arturo Jr. ”who own and operate Finca El Injerto in Guatemala, are famous for winning the Cup of Excellence countless times. They’ve also enjoyed a special relationship with Stumptown and its founder, Duane Sorenson, for many years, but it took a fantastical turn in 2007 when Duane smuggled Gesha seeds onto the farms of several of Stumptown’s Central American producer partners’ farms. Gesha, of course, is that rare and famous Ethiopian heirloom variety known both for its exquisite character and for its dastardly temperament: Only the most patient and meticulous producers have the ability to help it thrive, and whether it does or not is still almost entirely out of their hands. Soil, climate, and pure luck play heavily into the success of each harvest of this cantankerous coffee variety.
But this past year was a special one ”the Gesha flourished, and the cup it produced was extraordinary ”so extraordinary that Stumptown choose to roast all of it ”there are only about 300 pounds of it ”as a holiday Grand Cru offering for 2015.
This gorgeous box I picked up at Stumptown’s roastery today is one of the pre-release packages. We’re going to open it up on Thanksgiving morning and savor it.
You say you want to try it, too? Well, then, get to ordering! The Stumptown Grand Cru Guatemala Finca El Injerto Gesha is only available for pre-sale. Coffee will be roasted and shipped on Monday, November 23, with complementary 2-day shipping. And when I saw Stumptown roaster Drew Cattlin this morning, he assured me the orders were already piling up!
If you miss this roast, stay tuned to Stumptown’s website for information on how to order bags roasted for the next and final two ship dates: December 7 and December 19.
Got a great holiday coffee offering coming out for the 2015 season? We’d love to hear about it! Drop us a line at sarah@baristamagazine.com, or send us a sample at Barista Magazine, 4345 NE 72nd Ave., Portland, Oregon, 97218!
This is whacked. No question about it. Let’s see, the “C” price for coffee as of today is approx: 123.00? And this is selling for $75/12oz? Must be a really nice box and bag and paper-based excelsior. Coffee in the same class as wine? Perhaps not.