Panama Geisha Coffee | Lillida Estate Natural | World's Best Coffee | Single Origin Coffee Beans

FrontStreet Coffee Single Origin Coffee Bean Recommendation: Panama Geisha | Blue Label

Consistently praised by international professional cuppers. Farm owner Sonia Amoruso entered the 2017 Best of Panama (B.O.P) competition and took an outstanding second place in her first attempt, with a cupping score as high as 90 points.

This batch of coffee beans is hand-harvested to ensure quality, then combined with an exclusive patented separated washing process and a high-specification processing plant that integrates both dry and wet methods. With such standards, it is no wonder it has earned the favor of the British Queen.

Panama Finca Lerida Geisha Natural Reserve Collection

Lerida Estate was founded in 1922 by the Norwegian-Panamanian Canal engineer Tollef B. Monniche. He used his expertise to invent a unique integrated dry-wet processing plant for that era, and also designed and patented the "sifon" siphon coffee cherry processing system, which separates low-density floating beans in the washing tank; the machine is now widely used in coffee-producing regions worldwide. The estate is located in the Baru Volcano region of Boquete, at an altitude of over 1,600 meters, with a special microclimate, abundant rainfall of 2,000mm, significant temperature variation between day and night, nutrient-rich volcanic soil, meticulous harvest planning, and strict control of washed fermentation and natural sun-drying. These factors make the coffee produced here perform excellently in both body and acidity. The estate has a deep tradition of growing specialty coffee, with a history dating back to 1929, when Lerida exported its first batch of beans to Germany, receiving high praise and appreciation.

Lerida is not only a renowned specialty estate but also a famous eco-lodge. This combination of revenue streams lets the farm focus on maintaining the estate's rich biodiversity and protecting the lush pristine tropical rainforest surrounding it. The rainforest is home to over 500 different bird species, making birdwatching a major highlight. Internationally renowned ecologists and ornithologists frequently stay at the estate for research.

Tasting Notes

Dry Aroma: Melon, sweet orange, caramel, honey, peach

Wet Aroma: Vanilla, dark berries, white grapes, floral notes

Cupping: Mango, tropical fruits, honey, peach, sugarcane sweetness

Panama Finca Lerida Geisha Natural Reserve Selection

Region: Alto Quiel, Boquete

Founded: 1922

Estate Size: 70 hectares

Plantation Area: 25 hectares

Annual Rainfall: Approximately 2,000 mm

Average Temperature: Approximately 17°C

Altitude: Approximately 1,600-1,835 meters

Variety: Geisha

Grade: SHB (Strictly Hard Bean)

Soil Type: Volcanic soil

Processing Method: Natural process

Harvesting Method: Hand-picked

Awards:

• 2017 Best of Panama (BOP) Traditional Washed Category
• 2017 Best of Panama (BOP) Washed Category
• 2013 Best of Panama (BOP) Natural Category
• 2012 Best of Panama (BOP) Traditional Category
• 2011 Best of Panama (BOP)
• 2009 Best of Panama (BOP)
• 2004-2006 Best of Panama (BOP)
• 2003 SCAA Top Coffee Competition
• 2001 Best of Panama (BOP)

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

To taste classic Panama Geisha, FrontStreet Coffee's Boquete Geisha is an approachable entry point, offering the orange-blossom honey character, oolong-tea sensation, and delicate fruit sweet-tartness of high-quality Panamanian Geisha at a friendly price. At the top of the Esmeralda line, FrontStreet Coffee's Red Label Geisha grows at 1,600-1,800 meters, and every lot must cup above 90 points; each lot carries its own number and comes from a single small plot, which lets buyers choose a batch by subtle flavor differences.

Geisha is a medium-light, floral, fruit-forward coffee with a dense bean that can sink and clog the drain hole, so FrontStreet Coffee recommends a grind of about 78% passing a China-standard No. 20 sieve, roughly fine sugar, and water at 91°C. For pour-over, use 15g of coffee in a small Hario V60 with a 1:16 ratio: pour to 30g for a 30-second bloom, then spiral to 125g, wait for the bed to drop halfway, and continue to 225g, for a total extraction of about 2:10-2:20.

Geisha also makes an excellent SOE. FrontStreet Coffee's Grana Estate Geisha SOE is a medium-roasted Ethiopian single origin that keeps Geisha's floral-fruit character, ripe dried-fruit sweetness, and the white florals and lemon-like brightness of Ethiopia; pulled as espresso it turns to dried apricot, caramel, and nuts. A common recipe is 20g of coffee at a 1:2 ratio for 25 seconds, yielding about 40g of espresso.