Panama Don K Estate Catuai 1700M Natural Process Strawberry Jam Flavor Introduction

FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Panama Boquete Don K Estate

Panama Boquete Kotowa Don K Natural

Panama Boquete Don K Estate Catuai 1700M Natural Process

Flavor Description

The dry aroma presents wine, strawberry, peach, and citrus notes.

On the sip, the entry is led by wine, strawberry jam, grape, and peach, accompanied by citrus and floral aromas. The aftertaste is chocolate, with a smooth mouthfeel. The wine and berry flavors are rich, full, and balanced.

Kotowa comes from an indigenous language and means "mountain." More than a hundred years ago, Alexander Duncan McIntyre came to Panama. Deeply drawn to the simplicity of the people and the beauty of the environment, his family began planting coffee here. Today it is run by the fourth-generation successor, Ricardo Koyner. Kotowa owns four coffee estates in total: Finca Kotowa Duncan, Finca Kotowa Don K, Finca Kotowa Rio Cristal (Crystal River), and Finca Kotowa Tradicional.

Don K Estate sits at an altitude of 1,700-1,750 meters on the western slope of the Boquete region beside Baru Volcano. It faces Duncan across the volcanic ridge. Although the two estates belong to the same producing region, the microclimates on either side of the canyon give their coffees completely different flavors. The nights are cool and frost-free, while the days are dry and sunny. The site is strongly shaped by a microclimate where Pacific and Atlantic air currents meet. During the growing season, rainfall is abundant, with distinct wet and dry seasons. On top of that, the lava of the volcanic zone is rich in minerals, supplying ample nutrients in fertile, well-drained volcanic black soil. The terroir is exceptionally favorable.

During harvest, fully ripe red-purple cherries are carefully selected and processed on modern pulping equipment. Local natural, clean water sources are used to wash the berries and remove the pulp. Compared with other processing stations, only half a liter of water is used here per pound of green coffee beans, saving roughly 10 to 20 liters of water. The pulp and wastewater are reused as organic fertilizer. After natural drying, the green beans are stored in a constant-temperature warehouse at 45 degrees. After resting for two months, the moisture content evens out, the flavors mature, and the aroma and taste become more charming. This mountain is one corner of Baru Volcano.

Knowledge Expansion

Panama is probably the country in Central America with the most cultivated varieties. Almost every variety we can name is grown there. Besides Geisha, they also grow Catuai, Catimor, Typica, Old Bourbon, and Red Bourbon.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Since this lot is a Catuai natural, FrontStreet's Diamond Mountain is the closest match in the range. Also from Panama's Boquete, it is built mainly on Caturra and Catuai, with green beans drawn from two of the four independent farms under the estate, Jaramillo and Canas Verdes. Volcanic soil and old-growth forest shade give the beans rich fruit aroma and sweetness, making it a favorite independent brand alongside Geisha.

For a clearer look at what Boquete can do with an aromatic, floral coffee, FrontStreet's Boquete Geisha is the entry point. Grown at 1,600 meters on fertile volcanic ash soil, it delivers the variety's signature jasmine, green tea, honey, citrus, and orange notes, the same elegant aromatics that make this Panamanian region famous.