Ever wonder if your favorite coffee can actually lie about its identity? For years, an ordinary bean from the Peruvian Andes called “Inca Gesha” was the talk of the town. It was floral, sweet, and tasted expensive. Everyone – from farmers to world-class roasters – was convinced it was a relative of the famous Panamanian Gesha.
Then someone did the DNA test.
It turns out “Inca Gesha” isn’t Gesha at all!
It is a rare, long-lost Kenyan variety called SL9 (specifically: Selection 9). This discovery didn’t just change the name on the bag; it unraveled a mystery involving 1940s secret research stations, 1960s global missions, and a 1980s insurgency.
When “Gesha” Isn’t Gesha
In the high-altitude region of Inkawasi, Cusco, farmers have been growing a special coffee that tastes like a tropical Asian dream. Because it grew at crazy heights – sometimes over 2,300 meters – and had that signature floral punch, it was naturally dubbed “Inca Gesha” [1][2].
But coffee professionals noticed something strange. Its trees didn’t look like Gesha. Gesha trees usually have long, drooping branches and distinct bronze or green leaf tips. These Peruvian trees looked… different.
To settle the debate, Lance Schnorenberg of SEY Coffee sent leaf samples to Dr. Christophe Montagnon at RD2 Vision, a leading genetic lab in France. The results were a bombshell: the coffee was a genetic match for SL9, a selection from the Scott Agricultural Laboratories in Kenya [2].
The Secret Life of Scott Labs Selection 9
The “SL” stands for Scott Agricultural Laboratories, a Kenyan research station famous for creating the “rockstars” of the coffee world: SL28 and SL34. Most coffee geeks know these for their blackcurrant and tomato-like flavors.
SL9 was different. It was a single-tree selection made in the 1930s from a block of unknown origin at the lab [1]. While it tasted amazing, it was prone to a nasty disease called Coffee Berry Disease. Because of this, it was largely discarded in Kenya. It was a “lost” variety that was never supposed to make it big.
How Did It Get to Peru?
This is where the story gets wild. How did a discarded Kenyan seed(ling) from the 1930s end up in the Peruvian Andes? Christopher Feran, a coffee researcher, has uncovered two main theories:
Theory 1: The Tingo Maria Station and the Insurgency
In 1942, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) helped Peru set up the Tingo Maria Agricultural Experiment Station. It was a hub for testing exotic plants. In 1964, a major FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) mission to Ethiopia collected thousands of wild coffee seeds. Some of these “Ethiopian Legacy” seeds likely made their way to Tingo Maria [2].
However, in 1988, the station was destroyed by the Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path), a rebel group. Before the station went up in flames, it’s possible that seeds were taken by workers or distributed to nearby farmers. These “unnamed” seeds may have been planted in remote valleys, where they sat “latent” for decades until specialty roasters discovered them [2].
Theory 2: The “Monastery” Seeds
A more recent local story suggests a man named Don Julio brought seeds back from a monastery in 2011 to Inkawasi. He planted them, and by 2014, they won a local competition. These seeds became the “mother trees” for the local “Gesha Inka” [2].
Whether they came from a research station or a monastery, the cool Andean climate protected the SL9 trees from the devastating diseases that killed them in Kenya, allowing them to thrive and develop incredible sweetness.
What Does SL9 Actually Taste Like?
If you’re expecting a typical South American “nutty and chocolatey” cup, think again. Because SL9 is part of the Ethiopian Legacy group, it behaves much more like a high-end heirloom coffee from Africa [3].
- Intense Aromatics: You’ll find heavy florals like jasmine, lavender, and orange blossom.
- Tropical Fruits: Common notes include mango, dragon fruit, and melon.
- Candy-Like Sweetness: Many roasters, including Nordic Brew Lab and Sey, describe a “hard candy” or “star fruit” sweetness [1][4].
- Structure: It has a dense, complex acidity that feels “bright” but refined.
The Roasters Leading the Charge
If you want to try this “lost” variety, look for bags from these specific producers and roasters:
- Albino Ibias (Tres Cedros): Growing at a staggering 2,260 meters, his SL9 is known for extreme clarity and honeysuckle notes.
- Jhon Saenz (Aromas De Aniz): His lots often feature a 32-hour dry fermentation, which brings out ripe peach and dragon fruit flavors [4].
- Wilbert Almanza: A pioneer in the region whose “Inca Gesha” (now SL9) helped put Inkawasi on the map [3].
Brewing Advice: Patience is a Virtue
Because these beans grow so high up, they are incredibly dense. If you brew them like a normal coffee, you might miss the magic.
- The “Rest” Period: Do not brew these fresh! Expert roasters recommend waiting 5 to 6 weeks after the roast date. This allows the CO2 to escape and the complex tropical notes to fully “open up” [2].
- Temperature: Use high(er) water temperatures (94°C – 96°C) to penetrate the dense structure of the bean.
- Grind Size: Start with a medium-fine grind. If it tastes “green” or “grassy,” grind a bit finer.
The Final Word: Why the Name Matters
Some people argue we should keep calling it “Inca Gesha” because that’s the name the local farmers used. But knowing it’s SL9 helps us understand its history. It connects a small farm in Peru to a 1930s lab in Kenya and a 1964 mission in Ethiopia.
As Christopher Feran puts it, coffee is often a “stranger in a strange land” [2]. The SL9 story is a reminder that even in our modern world, coffee still holds secrets waiting to be unlocked by a simple DNA test.
Update: Turns out the SL9 also exists in India (“Indian Gesha”?) and was already discovered by Australian coffee roasters since at least 2014. However, this could turn out to be the SLN9 variety instead. [6]
Footnotes & Research References
- Ozone Coffee Roasters: Varietal Spotlight: SL9. Discusses the genetic link to Scott Labs and the unique cup profile.
- Christopher Feran: The Lost Origins of “Inca Gesha” (2026). The definitive deep-dive into the DNA testing, the Shining Path insurgency, and the Tingo Maria research station.
- Fellow Products: Brewing Guide for Peru Gesha Inka. Highlights the Ethiopian Legacy genetics and specific brewing ratios.
- Sigma Coffee UK / SEY: Producer Profile: Jhon Saenz. Details the 2,300m elevation and specific 32-hour fermentation techniques for SL9.
- RD2 Vision / Dr. Christophe Montagnon: Genetic Fingerprinting of Coffee. Technical background on how SL-type material was identified in Peruvian populations.
- Five Sense Coffee: Lured by the SL9 Coffee of India, 2014-03-19
Further Watching
For a deeper look into how these coffees are sourced and roasted, I highly recommend checking out Lance Hedrick (over 400k subscribers on YouTube). He has collaborated extensively with SEY Coffee and has several videos where he interviews experts like Christopher Feran about the complexities of coffee genetics and processing.
This video features Christopher Feran (the primary researcher on the SL9 project) discussing how processing and genetics impact flavor, which is essential for understanding why the SL9 tastes so different from other Peruvian coffees.
No Pressure Coffee 