Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. (GMCR) announced the release of its newest Green Mountain Coffee® Special Reserve coffee: Colombia Geisha. According to GMCR, this coffee is an extremely rare and sought after variety that is known for its sweet, dynamic citrus-like flavor profile. Colombia Geisha Special Reserve will be available starting Nov. 21, 2012 only while supplies last. This is the first time Green Mountain Coffee Special Reserve coffee is available in K-Cup® packs for Keurig® brewers, according to the release.
Green Mountain Coffee Special Reserve coffees are handcrafted and artfully roasted, made from beans that are among the rarest in the world. The brand offers these unique varieties four times per year as limited edition roasts, available while supplies last.
Colombia Geisha is grown on the Finca Cerro Azul farm in Valle del Cauca, Colombia, where high altitudes, spring-like temperatures and consistent humidity levels create a microclimate that allows this variety to thrive. The coffee is handpicked every eight days using a highly selective process, and once harvested, every step of processing, milling, and drying is carefully controlled and regulated. The hands-on approach allows the farmers to constantly monitor the coffee's sugar levels and preserve its signature sweet, citrus notes. Because of the intricate harvesting process and superb flavor, the Geisha varietal is highly sought after by bidders in auctions, often fetching high prices. Finca Cerro Azul is the first farm in Colombia to export the Geisha varietal, which won second place in the 2012 Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) Awards, for Coffee of the Year.
"The story behind Colombia Geisha Special Reserve underscores the Green Mountain Coffee commitment to only use carefully sourced high-quality coffee beans," said Lindsey Bolger, senior director of coffee for the specialty coffee business unit of GMCR, in a prepared statement. "Our buyers travel the world to find and purchase the finest coffees and we are delighted to bring this Special Reserve to the convenient K-Cup pack format. To add to this extraordinary coffee experience, these K-Cup packs contain more coffee than our everyday packs to ensure that the complex subtle flavors are expressed in an especially rich, full-bodied cup of coffee."
Kenneth Davids, editor of the independent Coffee Review, has awarded a rare score of 94 for the bagged coffee and a 91 for the K-Cup® packs. Like wine, coffee is judged on aroma, acidity, body, flavor, and aftertaste on a 100-point scale. Connoisseurs look for a score of 80 or above; a 94 is considered "extraordinary" and a 91 is considered "outstanding". Coffee Review is one of the most respected and widely read coffee publications in the world.
