Panama Boquete Region East of Baru Volcano | Emporium Estate Natural Process

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style).

Panama Boquete Growing Region | Emporium Estate Sun-Dried Bean Flavor Profile

For a long time in coffee history, Panamanian coffee was underestimated and even overlooked. This perspective completely changed only in recent years with the annual international cupping competition "Best of Panama" and the emergence of Hacienda La Esmeralda. This cupping competition has garnered global attention not only for the appeal of the coffee itself but also for its astonishing sky-high prices. Some small farms produce Geisha variety, which attracts the attention of coffee enthusiasts worldwide with its unique floral aroma. Panama produces excellent coffee not only with Geisha varieties—most coffee trees are Typica and Caturra varieties, and almost all regions grow coffee. Panamanian coffee has strong floral aromas and clean fruit flavors. Its cupping quality far exceeds other expensive coffees, with impressive flavors and stable quality.

Panamanian coffee is widely used in both specialty and commercial roasting, but the market is flooded with many low-altitude Panamanian beans that fail to capture our interest. What catches our attention are the family-run small farms in the Chiriqui district's Boquete growing region. They genuinely produce distinctive coffee cherries. During each harvest season, farms hire local N'gobe Buglé indigenous people, following Central American labor laws with reasonable salary standards.

Belonging to the same estate as Panama honey-processed coffee, with similar coffee bag styles, continuing the excellent reputation and achievements from 2011 when Direct Coffee introduced honey-processed beans from Panama's Chiriqui district Boquete growing region. In February, Emporium Estate was introduced—owned by the same estate owner as Los Lajones Estate, Graciano Cruz family. The farm was named in 2007, with the 14-hectare farm divided into three parts, jointly owned by the three Cruz brothers. Different crops have been cultivated for 40 years, creating today's diverse tree species. Moreover, coffee is not the farm's only crop—half of the agricultural products are oranges, tangerines, lemons, guavas, and avocados. During the farm's flowering period, hundreds of flowers bloom like a large garden, with all different fragrances and colors intermingling. The Panamanian sun-dried beans produced by the farm are rare, unique, and distinctive.

Property Characteristics

Farm Name: Emporium Estate

Farmer: Graciano Cruz

Awards: Top 10 in "Best of Panama" 2004/2005

Region: Boquete

Location: Eastern slopes of Volcan Baru

Country: Panama

Farm Size: 14 Hectares

Altitude: 1,650–1,600 meters

Annual Precipitation: 3700 mm

Soil: Volcanic clay

Type of Shade Trees: Inca trees, orange trees, tangerine trees, lemon trees, etc.

Labor Practices: Local N'gobe Buglé indigenous people stay in dormitories within the farm during harvest season

Certification: Organic certified by Bio Latina

Coffee Characteristics

Variety: Mixed planting of Caturra, Yellow Catuai, Pacamara, Typica, etc.

Processing System: Natural processing, African raised beds

Flowering Period: March–June

Harvest Period: December–January (once a year)

NATURAL Processing: Natural sun-drying method

Aroma/Flavor: Pear, green apple, pineapple, mango, fermented fruit aroma, brown sugar, maple syrup aroma, caramel aroma

Acidity: Citrus acidity, plum acidity, tartaric acid, grapefruit astringency, lively and energetic fruit acidity, orange flavor

Other Notes: Very complex and varied, hazy and delicate texture, plum fruit wine fermented mellow aroma, clear, strong, and persistent aftertaste, dark chocolate aroma, with the character of Sleeping Beauty Estate

The Graciano Cruz family in Panama's remote Boquete mountainous region grows coffee, with washed, honey-processed, and sun-dried beans. The farm uses different names for these three processing methods. Panama Emporium Estate sun-dried beans show clear, strong, and dynamic character, indicating this is a distinctive Panamanian sun-dried coffee.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommended Brewing:

Dripper: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 90°C

Grind Size: Fuji grinder setting 3.5

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

Analysis: Using three-stage brewing to clearly define the front, middle, and back-end flavors of the coffee. Because V60 has many ribs and faster drainage speed, pausing during pouring can extend extraction time.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473