Panama Coffee Beans | Introduction to Boquete Region's La Esmeralda Green Label Washed Geisha

The Legend of Geisha Coffee

When discussing coffee, Geisha is an unavoidable topic. In 2004, Hacienda La Esmeralda used the Geisha variety to participate in the Best of Panama (BOP) competition and auction, achieving outstanding results and auction prices that brought both the estate and the Geisha variety to fame overnight. In recent years, Geisha has consistently been one of the most popular varieties in the world, with record-breaking prices at many renowned coffee auctions, particularly in Panama.

Coffee Growing Regions

The main coffee growing regions are divided into Boquete, Volcan-Candela, and Renacimiento. These regions are all located around three volcanoes in the country: Volcán Baru, El Valle, and La Yeguada. Hacienda La Esmeralda is situated in the Barú Volcano mountain range within the Boquete region, at elevations between 1400-1700 meters, benefiting from higher altitude and the microclimate created by its special topography. The Boquete region is where the renowned Hacienda La Esmeralda is located.

Hacienda La Esmeralda

Initially, the Panama Canal was constructed by the United States and was exclusively controlled by the U.S. for a period. It was the construction of the Panama Canal that led many American elites to move south in the late 20th century, and Hacienda La Esmeralda is a testament to this era. In 1964, American banker Rudolph A. Peterson retired, moved to Panama, and purchased Hacienda La Esmeralda in Boquete. Later, he entrusted the estate to his son and grandchildren. Through his descendants' improvements in coffee cultivation techniques and standards, research on the effects of local microclimate on planting, harvesting, and processing, and the acquisition of advanced machinery for coffee processing, they made significant advancements. Additionally, by dividing the estate into different lots and harvest batches, conducting separate cupping sessions, they discovered the Geisha variety and achieved fame with it at the BOP competition.

The Origin of Geisha

The Geisha variety was originally collected from coffee forests in Ethiopia in the 1930s, sent to the Lyamungu research station in Tanzania, and then brought to CATIE in Costa Rica in 1953. It was distributed to Panama for cultivation through CATIE in the 1960s.

Lot Division

Currently, Hacienda La Esmeralda comprises four farms: Cañas Verdes, El Velo, Palmira, and Jaramillo. Among these four farms, three—Jaramillo, Cañas Verdes, and El Velo—cultivate Geisha variety, with each farm further divided into different smaller lots.

Jaramillo is where Geisha was discovered, named after the Jaramillo mountain range in Boquete. Currently, the entire Jaramillo area is divided into 6 lots for Red Label production: Mario, Noria, Reina, Bosque, Buenos Aires, Caballeriza, and Manantial.

Cañas Verdes is situated on the eastern slopes of Barú Volcano, with elevations ranging from 1500-2050 meters, covering a significant span. The lots in Cañas Verdes that cultivate Geisha include Lino, Coronado, Fundador, León, Montaña, Trapiche, Jacinta, Cabaña, Tumaco, Nido, and Colga—a total of 11 lots.

El Velo is a newly acquired farm from 2012 and also has the highest average elevation. In addition to Geisha, it cultivates Laurina, Pacamara, Mocha, and SL28 for long-term development and research. Currently, El Velo farm has been divided into 7 detailed lots: Guabo, Portón, Durazno, Mural, Higo, Buena Vista, and Águila.

Palmira is located in a lower altitude area and primarily cultivates Catuaí variety. The farm spans 30 hectares and serves as the office area for Hacienda La Esmeralda, as well as the processing plant for green beans.

Geisha Brand Classification

Currently, Hacienda La Esmeralda's Geisha is divided into three major brands sold in the market: Esmeralda Auction, Esmeralda Special, and Private Collection.

Esmeralda Auction, translated as "Esmeralda Auction," consists of auction lots—the highest-tier batches from Hacienda La Esmeralda. These can only be purchased through the Best of Panama (BOP) green bean competition and the estate's own independent auctions, commanding premium prices.

Esmeralda Special, translated as "Esmeralda Special," also known as the Red Label, is the highest-grade Geisha besides the auction lots. Each batch scores no less than 91 points in cupping, is grown at altitudes between 1600-1800 meters, and comes with extremely detailed traceability information. Currently, FrontStreet Coffee has acquired a Red Label batch from the Trapiche lot of Cañas Verdes farm.

Private Collection, translated as "Private Collection," also known as the Green Label, consists of high-quality Geisha batches that do not participate in auctions. The Green Label is harvested at altitudes of 1600-1800 meters and is a blend of Geisha from different lots across the three farms.

FrontStreet Coffee Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Green Label Batch Coffee Beans
Region: Boquete
Estate/Processing Plant: Hacienda La Esmeralda
Altitude: 1600-1800 meters
Variety: Geisha
Processing Method: Washed
Flavor: Jasmine, ginger flower, sweet orange, lemon, honey

FrontStreet Coffee has also acquired this Green Label Geisha from Hacienda La Esmeralda, which uses washed processing and medium-light roasting. FrontStreet Coffee uses V60, 1:15 ratio, and 92°C water for brewing. You'll smell jasmine fragrance, and upon tasting, experience sweet orange, citrus, lemon, and fruit tea flavors. The mouthfeel is clean and smooth like honey, with a persistent sweet aftertaste.

Important Notice :

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FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473