Is Panama Duncan Estate Coffee Delicious? Panama Coffee Brewing Methods

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Pour-over Duncan Recipe

15g coffee grounds, medium grind (Fuji grinder setting 4), V60 dripper, water temperature 88-89°C. First pour 30g water for 27-second bloom, then pour to 105g and pause. Wait until the water level drops to halfway, then continue pouring slowly to 225g. Discard the tail section. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00.

Roast Level

Medium roast

The Duncan Estate

The "DUNCAN" estate produces unique coffee using "Premium Picking" and "Reserva Picking" methods. This approach pushes coffee quality and flavor to exceptional levels, but significantly reduces production volume. KOTOWA's key to "Premium Picking" is that coffee cherries must show wine-red color (overripe dark color) before harvesting, followed by "immediate" and "rapid" post-processing! The cost of achieving this flavor is enormous. Another method is "Reserva Picking," also known as fully-ripe picking (Quickly Processed).

"Reserva Picking" doesn't rely solely on color as the harvesting standard—it requires judging sweetness and the quality of pulp sweetness! In addition to being 100% fully red, it must also be 100% fruit-sweet before harvesting, picked only when it tastes velvet-like and sweet!

Origin Information

Region: Boquete Region

Altitude: 1250-1700 Meters

Located in the Baru Volcano region, it enjoys a unique microclimate and volcanic terrain. The growing season features abundant rainfall and distinct wet and dry seasons. Combined with lava flows from the volcanic belt, the fertile volcanic black soil and excellent drainage provide ideal growing conditions, producing exceptionally captivating coffee aromas. The altitude here exceeds 1700 meters with strong winds, and the estate contains many giant coniferous trees over 200 years old.

Kotowa also places great importance on ecological environment protection, completely avoiding any chemical fertilizers. They use cherry skins and pulp to create high-nutrient 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 this approach has also created the unique flavor of Duncan Estate coffee, producing exceptional quality beans that consistently achieve top rankings in the BOP.

Flavor Profile

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

Manufacturer: FrontStreet Coffee, Address: No. 10 Bao'an Front Street, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, FrontStreet Coffee, Shelf life: 90 days, Net weight: 227g, Packaging method: Bulk coffee beans, Roast level: Roasted coffee beans, Sugar content: Sugar-free, Origin: Panama

Panama Duncan

Country: Panama

Grade: SHG

Processing: Natural process

Variety: Caturra

Estate: Duncan Estate

Flavor: Fruit wine, fermented fruit aroma, honey citrus

Caturra Variety

Caturra is a single-gene mutation of Bourbon, discovered in Brazil in 1937. It offers better yield and disease resistance than Bourbon, with shorter tree height for easier harvesting. However, like Bourbon, it suffers from biennial production cycles. It adapts well, doesn't require shade trees, and thrives in direct sunlight—earning it the name "Sun Coffee." It can adapt to high-density planting but requires more fertilization, increasing costs, so farmers were initially slow to accept it.

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

Caturra is suitable for growing 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 yield—this is the fate of specialty coffee. Academics describe Caturra as an intensive, sun-tolerant version of Bourbon—a sharp observation. Central and South America also have a yellow Caturra variant (Caturra Amarello), but its reputation doesn't match that of Yellow Bourbon.

When lightly roasted, Caturra shows distinct acidity and overall brightness. With proper processing, sweetness can be expressed very well, but the coffee body is relatively low compared to Bourbon, and the cleanliness of the taste is somewhat lacking.

Usually Caturra has red berries, but in very few areas, there are yellow Caturra varieties. For example, Hawaii grows a very small amount of yellow Caturra.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473