Kona Coffee FAQs-Roasting, Sourcing, and Shipping
Find answers to common questions about our 100% Kona coffees, roasting schedule, shipping times, and sourcing practices.
Kona Geisha Coffee — 100% Kona Coffee (Light Roast, Washed)
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Kona Geisha Washed — 100% Kona Coffee (Light Roast, 2025 Harvest)
A rare and luminous expression of 100% Kona coffee, grown on the volcanic slopes of Holualoa and crafted from the world-renowned Geisha variety. Produced in extremely limited volume, this micro-lot represents one of the most distinctive Kona coffees released each year — combining the region’s signature clarity with the aromatic depth of Geisha.
A Landmark for High-Elevation Kona Coffee
This release highlights everything that defines exceptional Kona coffee — volcanic soil, afternoon cloud cover, trade-wind cooling, and the long, slow ripening that shapes Kona’s refined sweetness. By pairing the Geisha variety with Kona’s celebrated terroir, this coffee shows how far the region can go when elite genetics meet precision processing.
Estates & Origin: Holualoa, Kona — Hawai‘i Island
Grown at Noelani Farm between 2,400–2,500 ft on the upper slopes of Hualālai, this is one of the highest-elevation Kona coffees produced annually. Mineral-rich volcanic soil, cool afternoons, and steady mists create an ideal environment for Geisha’s delicate aromatics. Each harvest reflects:
- Volcanic soil for mineral sweetness
- Cloud forest shade for slow ripening
- Pacific breezes for aromatic lift
The result is a Kona coffee with exceptional structure, purity, and aromatic dimension.
Character & Style: Floral, Vibrant, and Structurally Pure
Lightly roasted to preserve transparency and nuance, the 2025 Kona Geisha reveals:
- Jasmine • Citrus blossom
- Apricot • Mandarin orange
- Strawberry • Lychee
Silky, weightless texture; bright, wine-like acidity; long, perfumed finish. A rare union of Kona’s volcanic terroir and Geisha’s expressive aromatics.
Acclaim
Our limited single-farm Kona Geisha releases have consistently earned 95–96 points on Coffee Review — among the highest scores awarded to Kona coffees.
Why This Coffee Matters for Kona
Kona has long been defined by balance and refinement. This micro-lot advances the region into new territory by combining:
- High-elevation farming
- Geisha variety genetics
- Precision fermentation
- Modern roasting craft
As one of the few legitimate Kona Geisha coffees produced each year, it stands as a benchmark for the future of high-elevation specialty coffee in Kona.
A Pinnacle Expression of 100% Kona Coffee
Produced in extremely limited quantity, this micro-lot embodies the ethos of the Pinnacle Collection — coffees from the most celebrated terroirs, executed with uncompromising precision. A landmark for collectors, purists, and those seeking the extraordinary.
A Moment of Paradise: How to Enjoy
Brew with intention — slowly, quietly, allowing its floral lift and textural delicacy to unfold fully. Best enjoyed through pour-over (V60, Origami, Kalita) where its clarity and aromatics shine. Serve in a tulip or wine glass to emphasize its structure and fragrance.
Background & Farm Details
Noelani Coffee Farm (Holualoa, Kona) sits at one of the district’s highest elevations — nearly 2,500 ft. Plantings include K7 from 2018–2020 and 1.5 acres of Geisha planted in 2021. We have featured their K7 at 95 points, and the first Geisha lots arriving in late 2023–2024. Composed of self-induced anaerobic fermentations and wine-yeast inoculated batches, this blend showcases the finest expression we have tasted from any Kona Geisha to date — a pristine, aromatic interpretation shaped by Kona’s cool, misty highlands.
Explore more of our island-grown coffees in the 100% Kona Coffee Collection.
If you enjoy rare varieties and floral, high-elevation profiles, visit our Geisha Coffee Collection.
For a classic Kona profile with rich sweetness and balance, try our Kona Classic Medium Roast.
What Is 100% Kona Coffee?
100% Kona coffee refers to coffee grown exclusively in the Kona district of Hawai‘i Island — a small, volcanic region
along the western slopes of Hualālai and Mauna Loa. The combination of mineral-rich soil, afternoon cloud cover, and gentle trade winds produces one of the world’s most distinctive coffee terroirs.
To be labeled “100% Kona Coffee,” every bean must be grown within the Kona district and meet strict Hawai‘i grading quality standards. Kona coffee can be made from different arabica varieties, but Kona Typica — a heirloom lineage — remains the region’s most common and traditional cultivar.
If you’d like to explore more Kona coffees, you can browse the full collection here: Browse the Kona Coffee Collection .
About Kona Coffee
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Kona coffee grows on the volcanic slopes of Hawai‘i Island, where mineral-rich soil, afternoon cloud cover, and slow cherry maturation create a naturally sweet and balanced cup. Our Kona Classic Medium is sourced from high-elevation farms and hand-harvested for clarity, smoothness, and elegant sweetness.
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Yes — this roast is Authentic Kona coffee made exclusively from North Kona district-grown coffees, never blended. Our Kona coffees comes from small farms at the highest altitudes in the region.
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Medium roasts highlight Kona’s signature profile: gentle sweetness, soft citrus, toasted almond, and milk chocolate. The result is a balanced, approachable cup ideal for everyday brewing.
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This coffee shines in pour-over, drip, and French press. Use filtered water just off the boil and a medium grind for maximum clarity and sweetness. If you are looking for a Hawaiian coffee for espresso use we recommend our Hawai‘i Island Blend
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Kona is the highest labor cost coffee region in the world. Wages for farm workers here are 15-20x higher than almost all other coffee producing countries. Limited and expensive land, hand-picking, and high production costs create a naturally small supply each year — especially from high-elevation farms like those we partner with.
Company & Facility
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We roast and fulfill all of our coffee orders in Hilo, Hawai'i.
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We roast in small batches using a Diedrich IR12 roasting machine.
Satisfaction Guaranteed
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We source an array of the top specialty coffees worldwide that appeal to an array of different palates.
If at any point you have difficulty brewing, or just appreciating one of our roasted coffees, no problem. Shoot us an email within 5 days of receiving your coffee and we'll help you find the correct brew settings for your coffee, or give you a credit (minus actual shipping costs) on your next purchase. Yep, we're a Satisfaction Guarantee coffee company!
Please note, our Satisfaction Guarantee only applies to U.S. orders of roasted coffees, and you must contact us within 5 days of receiving the coffees. Credits do not include actual shipping fees, which may be different from posted shipping fees.
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We roast and ship on Monday/Wednesday/Friday.
Coffees
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Our commitment to you is to serve exceptional, fresh-roasted coffees. And part of being exceptional means roasting before the flavors inherent in the green bean begin to fade, which happens over time.
Like apples and pumpkins, coffee is a seasonal agricultural product and each country has a different harvesting cycle in which coffees are at their peak. If we were to insist on serving a single origin all year long, the flavors in that coffee would be noticeably better one half of the year over the other. So the reason you no longer see that coffee you loved is because the optimal season has passed. For more on seasonality in coffees, see this blog post here.
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Hopefully so. If it was a popular product or we receive customer requests, we will make every attempt to bring it back. However, please note that coffees from a certain producer may not taste the same year after year.
If you loved a coffee and no longer see it listed, shoot us an email and ask us what is similar. We’d be happy to provide a personal recommendation.
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We aim for balance and completeness along with differentiation and distinction. You shouldn't need to be a professional coffee taster to tell the coffees a part, so, when we’re selecting coffees, we want them to be distinct from each other.
We avoid ”one-trick pony” type coffees, such as Ethiopians with great aroma but no body or acidity, or coffees with good aroma and acidity but lacking sweetness. These elements, which are often reflections of the growing conditions, are harmonized through good roasting.
And, obviously, defects — even subtle defects — influence our selection. Since we live and work at origin, we’re sensitive to coffee defects like “past crop”, pulpy, and naturals that border on over-ferment. With naturals, we’ll only carry these when great examples are available.
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Our perspective on roasting is similar: we seek balance and distinction. To expect that a coffee is “best” when roasted to some pre-determined degree (i.e. only light roasting or only dark roasting) is analogous to thinking that each person would look best in the same outfit, or each coffee should be grown in the same way. We believe it’s our job to discover the roast degree which best highlights outstanding qualities in each coffee.
