Panama Boquete Region Organic Certified | Chiriqui Baru Volcano Los Lajones Estate Washed Geisha

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Panama Boquete Region Organic Certified | Chiriqui Baru Volcano Los Lajones Estate Washed Geisha Flavor?

Los Lajones Estate is located on the eastern side of Baru Volcano, directly above the town of Boquete. Boquete is a small town situated at an altitude of 1,200 meters in Chiriquí Province, the westernmost province of Panama. The famous Caldera River flows slowly through the outskirts of the town from Baru Volcano. The mild climate, fertile young volcanic soil, appropriate rainfall, and varied microclimates have earned the mountainous areas around Boquete the reputation of being a "coffee paradise."

Baru Volcano is not only the highest mountain range in Panama, but the sedimentary materials brought by early volcanic activity and eruptions have created abundant and very fertile soil. These soils are rich in organic matter, and volcanic ash particularly contains abundant phosphorus and sulfur mixed with clay. Combined with unique climate patterns, this region forms an environment suitable for growing high-quality coffee. The dense forests and numerous species also contribute to biodiversity. Los Lajones is located on the north side of the old lava flow from Baru's main crater, exactly facing the highest area where JADE Estate grows Geisha. When I visited Los Lajones this year, I happened to encounter the second wave of flowering period. The beautiful mountain scenery and the fragrance of flowers in the air sometimes make me feel as if the floral aroma still lingers:

Graciano often proudly says: I am not only the first estate in Panama to obtain organic certification, but also the first coffee plantation to completely avoid washed beans.

He believes that traditional washing methods not only severely consume water resources and are environmentally unfriendly, but also lack the sweetness of honey processing. At Los Lajones Estate, only mature cherries are harvested. After the fruits are harvested, not a single drop of water is used to remove the fruit skin. Instead, the fruits are directly placed on African raised beds made of bamboo branches and woven nets for drying. This drying method is not only uniform and fast but also results in cleaner flavors with softer and richer acidity. Particularly, the estate's good ventilation and sufficient sunlight are key factors contributing to the success of its honey and natural processing methods.

Good natural-processed beans are challenging due to the difficulty in harvesting properly ripe coffee fruits and controlling the natural drying process. The picture below shows the situation on the first day of coffee fruit harvesting. You can see that only properly ripe coffee cherries are selected. After three days, the color gradually deepens, the fruits shrink, and changes such as dehydration, drying, and fruit fermentation gradually occur with temperature, humidity, and turning frequency, all affecting the final flavor:

Multiple sweetness profiles, rich and sweet without overripe fruit acidity, and varied, complex, and elegant flavors are the reasons why Auscha purchases Los Lajones natural-processed series beans.

Estate Information

Region: Chiriquí

Town: Boquete

Location: Eastern slope of Baru Volcano

Altitude: 1750 – 2150 meters

Rainfall: Annual average 3500 mm

Average Temperature: 21°C

Soil Type: Volcanic clay

Cultivated Varieties: Geisha, Pacamara, Typica, Catuai, Caturra

Estate Area: 160 hectares (35 hectares planted with coffee)

Organic Certification: Organic cert. by Bio Latina

Recent Awards: 2013 Best of Panama Natural Geisha Runner-up, Honey Process 4th Place

This Batch Variety: Geisha

Processing Method: Natural processing, African raised beds

Harvest Period: This batch harvested in March

Flowering Period: April-June

Dry Aroma: Peach blossom, honey, estate chocolate, sweet fragrance, fruit juice sweetness

Wet Aroma: Floral, tropical fruits, honey, berries, vanilla

Sipping: Very clean, diverse aromas, delicate sweetness, rich body, juice-like texture, sweet spices, peach, chocolate, rare cleanliness and delicacy in natural-processed beans, sweet pineapple in aftertaste, persistent sweet and sour notes of honey and passion fruit.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommended Brewing:

Dripper: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 90°C

Grind Size: Fuji grind level 3.5

Brewing Method: Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, 15g coffee grounds. First pour 25g water for 25s bloom. Second pour to 120g water, then stop pouring. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to half, then continue pouring slowly until reaching 225g total water. Extraction time around 2:00.

Analysis: Using three-stage brewing to clearly distinguish the front, middle, and back end flavors of the coffee. Because V60 has many ribs and drains quickly, stopping the pour can extend the extraction time.

Important Notice :

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