Cascada Encantada Fredy Morales Geisha Natural

On their drive to their farm, Rosma, Fredy Milton Morales and his father would stop at a nearby bridge and enjoy a cup of coffee while enjoying the beautiful view. In 2015, they had the opportunity to buy the farm where they stopped to enjoy the scenery and they jumped on the chance to specialize their farms by planting unique varieties on each lot. They named the farm Cascada Encantada to commemorate the gorgeous view they always enjoy.

The high altitudes of 1,800 to 1,995 meters above sea level create the ideal warm days and cool nights to promote sweet, dense cherry growth. In addition to the Typica in this lot, Fredy and his father also grow Geisha, Pacamara and Bourbon on their farm.

Cherry is selectively handpicked and placed in bags where it lightly ferments for 24 hours. Then, cherry is washed in clean water and floated to remove any under- or over-ripes. Cherry is laid on raised beds to sundry for 5 to 6 days before being move to parabolic dryers for 20 to 23 days more. Cherry is raked frequently to ensure even drying.

Geisha (also known as Gesha) is known for its exceptional cup quality, especially when grown at high altitudes. The variety comes from Ethiopian landrace coffees and was collected from Ethiopian coffee forests in the 1930s. The name supposedly derives from Ethiopia’s Gori Gesha forest.

There is some confusion with several genetically distinct varieties that have all been called Geisha, but the most famous variety is the Panama one. The variety was brought to Lyamungu research station in Tanzania and from there to Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE) in Central America in 1953. At CATIE, the variety was logged as T2722. CATIE distributed T2722 across Panama in the 1960s for its Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) resistance, but its brittle branches meant it was not widely planted.

Panama Geisha reached its modern fame in 2005 when a Geisha lot won the “Best of Panama” competition and broke contemporary records at over $20/pound. DNA analysis has demonstrated that the Panama Geisha descended from T2722 is distinct and uniform. Today, Geisha is known for its delicate florals, jasmine and stone fruit.

Rosma Coffeelands was founded by Fredy Morales, son of Alejandro Morales. Alejandro purchased the family farm in 1963 and cultivated coffee there. Fredy took over the farm in 1980 and renamed the farm Rosma after his wife, Rose Mary.

In addition to the coffee he produces on Finca Rosma, Fredy works with his neighbors, friends and family to cultivate and source high-quality coffees that are traceable to individual family farms. Rosma acts not only as an exporter but also as a resource for farmers looking to improve production. They have a seedling nursery so farmers can access high-quality seedlings that are also more Coffee Leaf Rust resistant. They also provide refinancing credit for farmers and health and medical assistance. 

Since 2022, sales of Rosma coffees in Europe, Middle East and North Africa have supported Coffee Kinder, an on-farm childcare center for the children of farm workers. At Coffe Kinder, children can play and learn safely during the harvest while their parents work. This reduces child labor and makes it possible for both parents to work, increasing incomes for laboring families and increasing the labor force for the harvest.