First collected from the forests of Ethiopia in the 1930s, Gesha seedlings were sent to research stations around the world as part of coffee-breeding efforts. By the 1960s, the variety had made its way into cultivation in Panama, where it grew quietly for decades until its watershed moment in 2004, when Hacienda La Esmeralda stunned judges at the Best of Panama with a lot so floral, expressive, and unlike anything the industry had seen that it shattered auction records.

That breakthrough vaulted Gesha into the specialty-coffee spotlight and inspired a wave of planting across Central and South America. In more recent years, select African producers have embraced the variety as well, drawn by its reputation for elegance, complexity, and extraordinary potential.

That pursuit of potential is exactly what led us to the producers behind this Gesha: Max Perez, a fifth-generation farmer from Huehuetenango, Guatemala, and his wife, Claudia. Visionary and resourceful, the couple left law school in 2010 to start Finca La Hermosa on a piece of abandoned land with no water or electricity. While raising two children, they built their farm from the ground up, investing in infrastructure and sustainable practices long before they were profitable decisions.

Their commitment has since transformed Finca La Hermosa into a celebrated source of award-winning coffees, including multiple Cup of Excellence winners.

We first connected with Max and Claudia in 2022 through Ryan Chipman of Collaborative Origins, who believed our values and approach would resonate with theirs. He was right. Their coffees now anchor blends like Fast Forward and Big Trouble, and this Gesha marks a new milestone for us—the best expression we’ve ever tasted from Guatemala.