Geisha, and what Taiwan does with it
The variety that made a mountain famous, and the farms still learning how to roast it.
Why Geisha, why here
Geisha arrived in Taiwan later than in Central America, and mostly as a bet: it yields little, ripens unevenly, and costs more to pick than anything else on the farm.
What it does have is altitude tolerance. Above 1,200 metres it keeps the floral aromatics that low-altitude plantings lose, which is exactly the band Alishan and Taiwu sit in.
The roasting problem
A light Geisha is easy to ruin: too little development and it tastes of tea water, too much and the flowers disappear.
Several Taiwanese roasters now roast it darker than the international fashion, arguing that the variety is thin at the bottom and needs the extra body.
Disclosure: this article contains no affiliate links. Prices and dates checked in October 2026. Our methodology.