Introduction to Panama Santa Teresa FST Estate - Panama Coffee Flavor Profile

The Enchanting Origins of Santa Teresa Estate

When moisture from the Pacific and Atlantic oceans meets and the winds rise, thin mists drift among the mountains of Panama. Locals call this phenomenon "bajareque," and it not only frequently creates rainbows but also provides ideal growing conditions for coffee trees.

Beyond the hills lie numerous valleys. Winding streams and pristine forest separate plots of land cultivated with coffee. This captivating landscape gives Santa Teresa Estate, in addition to its favourable macroclimate, many subtle microclimatic variations.

Finca Santa Teresa: A Paradise of Premium Coffee

Finca Santa Teresa (FST) sits in a high-altitude region, blessed with uniquely rich black volcanic soil while receiving nurturing moisture from both Pacific and Atlantic weather patterns. These advantages combine to produce FST's exceptional coffee.

FST nestles among a series of beautiful valleys and ridges, creating diverse microclimates that give each of its micro-batches a distinctive character.

Located at 1,400-1,800 metres above sea level, FST's coffee plots are separated by natural vegetation, streams, or vast pristine forest. The estate employs environmentally friendly cultivation and processing methods, with all production waste recycled as fertilizer or used as fuel for coffee drying. Water is sourced from local streams and has been approved by Panama's environmental protection authorities.

UTZ Certification and Social Responsibility

Santa Teresa Estate holds "UTZ Certification," whose special distinction is embodying a spirit of "giving a man a fish and teaching him to fish." Through technical training and business-knowledge transfer, it improves its workers' living conditions.

Children and women are another focus of this certification. Maternity leave and the prohibition of child labour are mandatory requirements. Children not only have the right to education but also enjoy health insurance alongside their mothers. The children of Santa Teresa even have their own football team.

On environmental protection, besides specific water-usage regulations, waste materials from production are recycled into compost or used as energy for drying coffee beans.

Brewing Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee suggests the following brewing data:

Pour-over: V60, water temperature 90°C, Fuji R440 grinder setting 3.5

French Press: Recommended grinder setting 4, water temperature 90°C

Siphon: Recommended grinder setting 4, water temperature 90°C-91°C

AeroPress: Recommended grinder setting 3.5, water temperature 90°C

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Panama is best known for the Geisha variety, and FrontStreet's Panama lineup lets you explore it at several levels. FrontStreet's Boquete Washed Geisha is a great entry point, an estate-level Geisha planted at 1,600 metres, where fertile volcanic soil feeds rich aromatics; brewed, it shows Geisha's signature jasmine, green tea, honey, citrus, and orange.

To go a step further, FrontStreet's Panama Washed Butterfly is a blend with half Geisha lineage, made of Geisha, Caturra, and Catuai grown in the Boquete volcanic area. Panama's special microclimate brings plentiful rainfall and a large day-night temperature swing, and the volcanic soil plus careful harvesting and processing give a cup outstanding in body, citrus acidity, and Geisha's jasmine aroma; it is suited to both pour-over and cold brew.

For the highest grade, FrontStreet's Esmeralda Estate Red Label Geisha is harvested from a single plot above 1,700 metres, a cupping score of 91 with a refined orange-blossom honey character; the Esmeralda Estate, which discovered and promoted Geisha, grades its coffees by altitude into the Red Label, Green Label, and Blue Label tiers.