Introduction to Panama's Premium Coffee Growing Regions: Did the Geisha Variety Originate from Panama?

The Rise of Geisha: Panama's Coffee Revolution

In the 1990s, the Geisha variety was considered by Panamanian coffee farmers merely as a hybrid that could improve coffee crops' resistance to leaf rust disease. Its flavor profile and coffee bean size were not particularly outstanding. However, at the 2004 Best of Panama competition, Hacienda La Esmeralda's victory unexpectedly came from this unremarkable Geisha variety coffee. Its exceptional citrus notes and white floral aromas sent shockwaves through the coffee market at the time.

Today, Panama's success in the coffee market is largely attributed to the success of the Geisha variety, which has garnered special attention and pursuit from coffee professionals worldwide. How did Panama become an ideal specialty coffee producing region? FrontStreet Coffee is here today to share knowledge about Panamanian coffee.

Panama's Ideal Coffee Growing Conditions

Panama is located at the southern tip of Central America, with neighboring countries Colombia and Costa Rica. The Panama Canal connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans within its borders, serving as the dividing line between North and South America. The country's terrain is undulating with crisscrossing valleys. Besides the coastal plains in the north and south, most of the region consists of mountainous areas. Due to its geographical proximity to the equator, Panama has a tropical marine climate with humid days and cool nights, with average annual temperatures ranging from 23-27°C. The year is divided into dry and rainy seasons, with annual precipitation between 1500-2500 millimeters.

The excellent climate conditions attracted large numbers of European and American intellectuals to Panama, and coffee, as an essential beverage in their daily lives and work, began to develop from there. The earliest coffee plantations established in Boquete pioneered coffee cultivation in Panama, but coffee from this period was not well-known and production was limited. After the Geisha variety was introduced from Ethiopia in the 1990s to combat coffee leaf rust disease, it wasn't until 2004 when Hacienda La Esmeralda gained fame with Geisha that Panamanian coffee experienced vertical growth and development.

Panama's Major Coffee Growing Regions

Boquet

The Boquet growing region is located between elevations of 1,400-1,900 meters, belonging to a town within the Chiriquí province, situated between the borders of Panama and Costa Rica, near the famous Barú Volcano. The microclimate and volcanic soil make Boquet extremely suitable for coffee cultivation, while renowned estates such as Hacienda La Esmeralda and Elida Estate have established their plantations in this area.

Volcan

When mentioning Panamanian coffee, most people are more familiar with specialty coffee growing regions from Boquete, but in recent years, coffee from the Volcan growing region has gradually emerged in the specialty market. Quite a number of estates have even participated in the Best of Panama competition and won championships. Generally, the Volcan region receives less annual rainfall compared to Boquete, and its geographical location on the western side of Barú Volcano also gives coffee from this region more pronounced dried fruit flavors, sweetness, and aroma compared to the Boquet region.

The Volcan coffee growing region is primarily cultivated at elevations between 2,000-3,000 meters. In the early days, most of the Volcan area grew cash crops such as fruits and vegetables, with only a few farmers cultivating coffee. Among the pioneers of coffee cultivation in the Volcan region, the Hartmann family stands out as particularly well-known in Panama.

RENACIMIENTO Coffee Growing Region

The Renacimiento region is a growing area within the Chiriquí province, primarily cultivated at elevations between 1,100-1,500 meters. It borders Costa Rica. This region itself is relatively small, so it is not considered a major characteristic growing region for Panamanian coffee beans.

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