What Does Panama Duncan Estate Taste Like and How to Brew Duncan Estate Coffee

About Caturra

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Caturra is a single-gene mutation of Bourbon, discovered in Brazil in 1937. It shows better production capacity and disease resistance than Bourbon, with shorter plant height that facilitates harvesting. However, like Bourbon, it suffers from the biennial production cycle problem. Yet its strong adaptability allows it to thrive without shade trees, directly under harsh sunlight, earning it the name "Sun Coffee." It can adapt to high-density planting but requires more fertilization, increasing costs, so farmers initially had low acceptance.

However, during the 1970s when coffee prices soared, farmers switched to Caturra to increase production. With strong promotion from Brazilian and Colombian authorities, results were abundant. Farmers' acceptance of Caturra meant a major transformation in cultivation techniques. Brazil and Colombia adopted high-yield, high-density sun cultivation methods. By 1990, one million hectares could harvest 14 million bags of coffee beans, increasing production capacity by 60%. No wonder Caturra, with its high yield and quality, has become a variety relied upon by various producing countries.

Caturra is suitable for cultivation from low altitudes of 700 meters to high altitudes of 1700 meters, with strong altitude adaptability. The higher the altitude, the better the flavor, but relatively lower production capacity—this is the destiny of specialty coffee. Some academics call Caturra the intensive, sun-exposed version of Bourbon, which is quite apt. In Central and South America, there is also a yellow variety called Caturra Amarello, but its reputation is not as good as that of Yellow Bourbon.

When lightly roasted, Caturra shows obvious aromatic acidity and overall brightness. With proper processing, sweetness can be expressed exceptionally well. However, the body is relatively lower compared to Bourbon, and the cleanness of the mouthfeel is somewhat lacking.

Typically, Caturra has red berries, but in extremely rare areas, there are yellow Caturras. For example, Hawaii grows very small quantities of yellow Caturra.

Brewing Instructions

Hand-brewed Duncan. 15g of coffee, medium grind (small Fuji ghost tooth grinder #4), V60 filter cup, water temperature 88-89°C. First pour 30g of water and bloom for 27 seconds. Pour to 105g and stop. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to halfway, then continue pouring. Slowly pour until reaching 225g total. Do not use the final tail section. Water-to-coffee ratio is 1:15, extraction time 2:00.

Roast Level

Medium roast

Duncan Estate

The Duncan estate produces unique "Premium Picking" and "Reserva Picking" methods. This approach pushes coffee to extremely high quality and flavor, but coffee production is greatly reduced. KOTOWA's focus on "Premium Picking" is—coffee cherries must show wine-red color (overripe dark color) before harvesting, and processing must be done "immediately" and "quickly" after picking! The cost of achieving this flavor is enormous. Another method is "Reserva Picking," also called red-ripe picking (Quickly Processed).

"Reserva Picking" is not solely based on color as the picking standard—sweetness and the quality of fruit pulp sweetness must be judged! Besides being 100% red-ripe before picking, it must also be 100% converted to fruit sweetness before picking. Only when it tastes velvet-like sweet is it picked!

Origin Information

Region: Boquete Special Region

Altitude: 1250-1700 Meters

Located in the Baru Volcano region, it possesses a unique microclimate and volcanic terrain. During the growing season, rainfall is abundant with distinct wet and dry seasons. Additionally, volcanic lava flows have created fertile volcanic black soil and excellent drainage, providing unique growing conditions. The coffee produced here has exceptionally captivating aromas. The altitude here exceeds 1700 meters with strong winds. Many giant coniferous trees in the garden are over 200 years old.

Kotowa also places great importance on the ecological environment, completely avoiding any chemical fertilizers. Cherry skins and pulp are used to create nutrient-rich compost to nourish coffee trees and give back to the land. Not only was Kotowa Coffee nominated by Panama's environmental agency as the winner of the Panama National Environmental Protection Award in 2006, but it also created the uniqueness of Duncan Estate's coffee flavor, making the produced coffee beans of excellent quality, consistently achieving top rankings in BOP.

Flavor Notes

Fruit wine, fermented fruit aroma, honey citrus, malt sweetness, sweet peach, distinct layers, fine texture, candied fruit.

Product Information

Manufacturer: FrontStreet Coffee Address: No. 10 Bao'an Front Street, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, FrontStreet Coffee Shelf Life: 90 days Net Weight: 227g Packaging: Bulk coffee beans Roast Level: Roasted coffee beans Sugar Content: Sugar-free Origin: Panama

Coffee Details

Panama Duncan

Country: Panama

Grade: SHG

Processing Method: Natural Process

Variety: Caturra

Estate: Duncan Estate

Flavor: Fruit wine, fermented fruit aroma, honey citrus

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473