Panamanian Coffee Varieties and Why Geisha Coffee Has Acidic Notes

FrontStreet Coffee's Introduction to Panama Varieties and Flavors

Panama is located near the equator and has a tropical marine climate, with humid days and cool nights, and an average annual temperature of 23-27°C. The year is divided into dry and rainy seasons, with an average annual precipitation of 1500-2500 millimeters. The microclimate found in Panama's highlands is the most important resource that makes Panama's unique coffee one-of-a-kind. The environment of the Republic of Panama, stretching from east to west, allows cold air currents to flow through the central mountain range and converge above 6,500 feet (approximately 1,981 meters), creating multiple microclimates in the Boquete and Volcán-Candela regions, making them the main production areas for Panama's specialty coffee.

These specialty coffees are cultivated in the nutrient-rich, balanced soil of the Barú Volcano region, one of the high volcanoes in Central America. With an altitude of over 11,400 feet, the land surrounding Barú Volcano is rich in fertile soil, providing ideal conditions for the planting and cultivation of Panama's specialty coffee. The appropriate microclimate, soil, temperature, and altitude of these highlands are suitable for the sowing, planting, and harvesting of various specialty coffees. These coffees feature multiple flavors including jasmine, citrus, ripe fruits, berries, caramel, special sweetness, vanilla, and chocolate.

Panama coffee is most famous for its rare treasure - the Geisha variety.

The Geisha variety was discovered in 1931 in the Geisha forest of Ethiopia and then sent to the Coffee Research Institute in Kenya. In 1936, it was introduced to Uganda and Tanzania, and in 1953, Costa Rica introduced it. Panama began growing Geisha coffee in 1963 when Don Pachi Francisco Serracin, then working at the Ministry of Agriculture, obtained seeds from the well-known "Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center" (CATIE) in Costa Rica. Due to its extremely low yield and the need to participate in bidding, this bean can be said to be hard to come by.

Geisha is cultivated in many regions around the world and is the new king of specialty coffee, with higher quality and prices in Latin American countries such as Panama, Guatemala, and Colombia.

The dry aroma of Geisha is very uplifted and bright, with characteristics of rose and jasmine fragrance, and can also bring out pomelo and citrus aromas. Light roast has a nutty aroma; the wet aroma also has hazelnut flavor, and more floral characteristics emerge. In terms of taste and flavor, the initial stage may be slightly milder and more reserved compared to the previously uplifted aroma. As it cools slightly, the floral and fruity flavors gradually rise with the decreasing temperature, and the cold aroma is exceptionally outstanding, with sweet preserved fruits, rose hips, orange glaze, strawberry jam, hints of pine, cherry, vanilla, and rose flavors gradually fading, leading to lemon-like fruit aroma. This is a coffee that can be praised with numerous adjectives, with a sweet aftertaste.

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