Trakool Mae Ton Luang

Trakool, Mae Ton Lost & Found (Phuang Malai) — Thai Geisha

We are so proud to present one of the most unique Geisha coffees from Thailand.

Our roaster, P’View, first tasted this coffee last year at the Northern Thailand Aeropress Championship held in Chiang Rai. P’Tong brewed it and asked if she’d consider using it in a competition. She instantly liked it and decided to explore its potential further, eventually choosing it as the base for her milk course.

Her journey led her to Chiang Mai, guided by P’Tong (Trakool Roikaew), to visit the farm of Pho Khrai and Mae Ton Luang.

Pho Khrai shared the story: about 12 years ago, he received just six Geisha seeds from P’Mak (Khun Meechai, the current president of the Barista Association of Thailand). He took great care in growing the trees separately but had never processed the harvests separately—until P’Tong and his friends visited, noticed the unique characteristics of the trees, and suggested isolating the crop. This is now the fourth year that these Geisha trees have been selectively harvested. All six trees—comprising both Green Tip and Bronze Tip varieties—are still thriving.

Pho Khrai joked, “If I had known they’d turn out like this, I’d have filled the entire farm with them by now.”

Later, P’View had the chance to meet Khun Meechai at the World Coffee Event in Chicago. He explained that the origin of this Geisha varietal traces back to Gesha Village in Ethiopia, from where it was taken to Costa Rica. Then, Francisco Jose—a friend of P’Mak—planted it on his farm in Panama during the early rise of the Panama Geisha movement. Eventually, Francisco entrusted P’Mak to bring the seeds to Thailand, where Pho Khrai has nurtured these six precious trees ever since.

P’Tong used a washed process technique—one that previously won him 1st place in the 2021 Thailand Specialty Coffee Awards. In short, ripe cherries are placed in mesh bags and soaked in a continuous stream of fresh mountain spring water. After soaking, the mucilage naturally breaks down without mechanical demucilaging. The beans are then dried with great care. This approach results in a coffee that is exceptionally sweet, clean, and well-balanced, with an impressive body and clarity in the cup.

What excites us most about this Thai-grown Geisha is its distinctive flavor—one that strongly resembles the scent of Phuang Malai, the traditional jasmine garland deeply familiar to Thai people. When we talk about tasting notes, it helps to have personal experience with the flavors. For example, if someone’s never eaten a peach, they might struggle to identify that note in coffee. But the jasmine-like florals in this cup are unmistakable to nearly every Thai person—they’re familiar, nostalgic, and powerfully expressive.

P.S. Special thanks to @piyokee for coining the beautiful name “Phuang Malai.”