Panama Boquete Featuring 70% Geisha "Mariposa de Flores" Premium Coffee Bean Pour-over Parameters

Hand-poured Butterfly Coffee: 15g of coffee grounds, medium grind size (Fujiyama ghost tooth blade #4 grinder), V60 dripper, water temperature 88-89°C. First pour 30g of water for a 27-second pre-infusion, then pour to 105g and pause. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to half before continuing the pour. Slowly pour until reaching 225g total water. Discard the tail end. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00.

Coffee Origin Information

Country: Panama

Grade: SHB

Region: Boquete

Roast Level: Medium roast

Processing Method: Washed

Varieties: Caturra, Catuai, Geisha

The Boquete Region

Panamanian coffee is famous for the Geisha from Hacienda La Esmeralda, and the region where this estate is located is also quite renowned — it's the Boquete region in the Chiriqui province. Boquete is a town in Chiriqui province, situated near the border between Panama and Costa Rica, close to the famous Baru Volcano. With its beautiful scenery, fertile and rich soil, and climate and terrain perfect for producing high-quality coffee.

Within the Boquete region, there are many excellent estates. Besides the famous Hacienda La Esmeralda, there are also Elida Estate, Akaba Estate, and other renowned estates that all produce premium specialty coffee. This is not only due to the superior ecological conditions of Panama's Boquete region and the fertile volcanic ash soil of the Baru Volcano area. Another important factor is the unique microclimate in the highlands of Boquete, which is a vital resource for specialty coffee in this region. This is created by Panama's east-to-west environmental pattern, allowing cold air currents to converge above 6,500 feet through the central mountains, thereby creating various microclimates in the Boquete area. These make the temperature and rainfall ideal for plant growth, so coffee trees planted here grow exceptionally well.

However, in such a privileged growing environment as Boquete, there naturally isn't just the Geisha from Esmeralda — a coffee king known for its exceptional flavor, quality, and value. But drinking Geisha every day is still quite a luxury, and even without financial pressure, enjoying delicacies daily would diminish their appeal. The same applies to coffee — exploring broadly allows for greater enjoyment of coffee tasting pleasures.

Panama is a Central American country, bordering Costa Rica to the west and Colombia to the east. Those familiar with single-origin coffee should know that Panamanian coffee is famous in the coffee world for the Geisha from Hacienda La Esmeralda. It can be described as a country that pursues excellence in coffee and produces premium quality coffee.

The Butterfly Coffee

Flavor: Tea aroma, honey, berries, classic Hacienda La Esmeralda Geisha taste

So in the land of Boquete, there is a coffee bean with exceptionally high value for money. And it has a very beautiful name — Butterfly. It has 40% premium Geisha heritage, composed of three varieties: Geisha, Caturra, and Catuai. It's grown in the Baru Volcano region of Boquete, at an altitude of 1600 meters in volcanic areas. The processing plant uses fine washed processing. Panama's special local microclimate leads to abundant rainfall in this region, with large temperature differences between day and night. Combined with the unique volcanic rock soil of the volcanic region, as well as meticulous harvesting and fine processing, this coffee performs excellently in body, acidity, and floral notes.

Even more surprising is that on top of excellent quality, a very approachable price makes this coffee bean's value for money outstanding. The special feature of this coffee bean is that it's composed of three varieties, with 40% Geisha variety, giving this coffee very distinct Geisha flavors. According to research data, due to historical reasons at the estate, when pursuing yield in the past, early Geisha varieties were mixed and planted together with Caturra and Catuai variety coffee trees. For easier harvesting, coffee farmers didn't reclassify them but processed the three varieties directly mixed together. Later, when Geisha became famous and prices soared, the processing plant began fine washed processing for such coffee beans.

There are many washed processing methods today, but generally, after coffee cherries are harvested, floating beans are removed, then pulp is removed, and coffee beans are soaked in fermentation tanks. Enzymes in the water soften the mucilage attached to the coffee bean's inner parchment skin, while natural yeast breaks down the sugars in the mucilage. This process is called fermentation. After fermentation is complete, the coffee beans are moved to drying patios to dry. During the drying process, coffee beans need to be constantly turned to ensure even drying. Finally, they are stored in parchment in warehouses until green bean buyers place orders, when they are hulled and bagged. Coffee processed this way has a clean taste, emphasizing bright, lively fruit acidity, as well as clear fruit flavors and floral notes.

So one can imagine that with Butterfly's varietal superiority and fine processing methods, if using medium-light roast to complete the final flavor direction of this bean, you will surely give great affirmation to this Butterfly with its unique Geisha floral notes, Southeast Asian fruits, berry flavors, and honey sweetness and smoothness, with very persistent aroma and aftertaste.

Cupping Notes

Fragrance (Dry Aroma): Jasmine flower, citrus, tea aroma, honey

Aroma (Wet Aroma): Berries, floral notes, buttery aroma, vanilla, citrus

Flavor (Sipping): Juicy sweetness, delicate and non-irritating acidity, excellent cleanliness, bergamot, honey, citrus, spices, floral notes, berries, tea aroma, cherry, delicate aftertaste, persistent aroma, classic Hacienda La Esmeralda Geisha flavor.

Taste Description

Jasmine floral notes, citrus, tea aroma, honey, berries, vanilla, bright acidity! The Butterfly containing Geisha varieties is a specialty coffee bean with extremely high value for money!

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Panama's finest coffee grows in four western regions — Boquete, Volcan, Santa Clara, and Piedra de Candela — with Boquete and Volcan the most celebrated, both sitting in Chiriquí province at the heart of the coffee belt on fertile volcanic soil. FrontStreet Coffee's Butterfly (Flower Butterfly) coffee carries half Geisha parentage, composed of Geisha, Caturra, and Catuai and planted in the Baru Volcano area of Boquete at 1600 meters. The local microclimate brings abundant rainfall and wide day-night temperature swings, and together with the region's volcanic rock soils and careful harvesting and processing, the coffee excels in body, citrus acidity, and jasmine fragrance — excellent as pour-over or cold brew.

If you want to climb toward Panama's peak Geisha, FrontStreet Coffee's Esmeralda Red Label is the highest grade: sourced from a single plot above 1700 meters and requiring a cupping score of 91 or above, it shows the estate's refined tangerine-honey character. For those entering Panama coffee for the first time, the washed Boquete Geisha at estate-level quality is the recommended starting point, delivering jasmine florals, green tea, honey, citrus, and orange in a single cup.