Simply 20 years in the past, espresso from Panama was nearly unknown past its borders. Recognizing the standard of their beans however missing consciousness from the market, producers took motion. “The turning level was the formation of the Specialty Espresso Affiliation of Panama (SCAP) within the late Nineties, when espresso costs had been extraordinarily low,” says Hunter Tedman, president of SCAP and a longtime espresso grower. “However maybe essentially the most impactful second within the business was the rediscovery of the Geisha selection.” In 2004, a Geisha espresso from Hacienda La Esmeralda swept the Better of Panama espresso public sale. It broke data in each factors awarded and value per pound. At this time, it nonetheless ranks among the many costliest coffees on the planet. And Geisha beans from Panama, typically, stay globally prized.
A really perfect local weather and terroir are largely to thank for the standard of Panama’s espresso. The overwhelming majority of specialty beans are grown within the Chiriquí province round Boquete and Volcán-Candela, bordering Costa Rica. “All of the espresso grows within the foothills of the Barú Volcano,” explains Tedman. At some 11,400 ft above sea degree, the dormant volcano is the very best level in Panama. On the encompassing hillsides, many farmers develop their espresso crops among the many forest at upwards of 5,000 ft. “Our terroir consists of volcanic soils at a excessive altitude with cool, misty days, and a definite dry season.”
At this time, most producers work with a number of varieties equivalent to Catuai and Typica, however Geisha stays the quintessential cup. “For Panama Geisha we all the time search for clear, candy, and citric cups with intense floral aromas like jasmine, lemongrass, and bergamot,” says Tedman. “Florals are the Holy Grail of espresso as a result of, in contrast to fruity notes, they can’t be created throughout processing. They arrive from the range and terroir.” Does the emphasis on Geisha paint Panama right into a field on the espresso market? Maybe, however Tedman thinks the nation can use it to their benefit. “I see Panama solidifying the Panama Geisha model as a luxurious product,” he says. “However Panama producers are extraordinarily modern, and the seek for higher processing strategies and new varieties is fixed.
Beans to Attempt
Whereas Panamanian coffees are typically extra restricted in manufacturing, most specialty producers export to the USA. Their coffees may be regularly discovered from high quality roasters equivalent to Café Unido—which focuses on espresso from Panama—Passenger Espresso, and Onyx Espresso Lab.
Hacienda La Esmeralda
Based in 1967 and nonetheless run by the Peterson household, Hacienda La Esmeralda is the producer that rediscovered the probabilities of Geisha espresso in Panama on their Jaramillo farm within the Boquete River Valley. At this time lots of their top-performing tons are nonetheless sourced from small patches below Jaramillo’s tall shade timber.
Black Moon Farm
A regenerative farm run by Hunter Tedman, Black Moon is positioned within the mountains of Alto Quiel, Boquete. Tedman focuses on luxury-level espresso varieties equivalent to Geisha, Chiroso, and Pink Bourbon, and in addition experiments with processing strategies equivalent to anaerobic fermentation and dark-room drying.
Lamastus Household Estates
Since 1918, the Lamastus household has run three farms excessive within the hillsides of Boquete, planting beans as excessive as 6,000 ft and retaining greater than half of their hectares devoted as forest protect. In 2024, their Geisha Pure took first place (marking their seventh win) on the Better of Panama competitors.
Finca La Alquería
A boutique, family-run operation, La Alquería is helmed by younger producer José Porta in Volcancito, Boquete. Rising varieties like Yellow Bourbon, Pacamara, and Geisha at 4,700 ft, Porta is a newcomer gaining followers for his experimentation with processing strategies to scale back acidity whereas highlighting fruitier flavors.
