Introduction to Panama's Champion Coffee Estates | The Story and Characteristics of Carmen Estate Geisha from the Volcán Region

Panama has gained tremendous recognition in the global coffee market, primarily due to its annual production of exceptional coffee beans, especially Geisha. At the 2023 BOP coffee competition, Carmen Estate (CARMEN FINCA) impressed judges with a remarkable score of 96.5 points for their washed Geisha coffee beans, securing first place in the washed category and breaking the world record for flavor evaluation in the coffee industry at that time. Furthermore, in the subsequent global auction, these beans reached an unprecedented price of $10,005 per kilogram, setting a new high for green coffee bean sales. Today, FrontStreet Coffee would like to introduce you to this renowned Panamanian champion estate.

Panama

Besides the promotion by SCAP, Panama's success is also attributed to its unique geographical environment. Located in the southernmost part of Central America near the equator, Panama features varied terrain with numerous valleys and ridges. Apart from the coastal plains, most of the country consists of mountainous regions, rich forests, abundant rivers, and several volcanoes.

The country enjoys a tropical maritime climate with humid days and cool nights, maintaining an average annual temperature between 23°C-27°C and average annual rainfall of 1,500-2,500 millimeters. Influenced by its geographical conditions, Panama exhibits complex and variable microclimates, all of which provide ideal growing conditions for coffee trees.

Coffee Growing Regions

Premium coffee growing regions are mainly concentrated in Chiriquí Province, Panama, divided into three major regions: Boquete, Volcan-Candela, and Renacimiento. These regions are all located near the country's Volcán Barú, El Valle, and Le Yeguada volcanoes.

Among these, Boquete is arguably the most famous coffee growing region in Panama, as it hosts many renowned estates such as Hacienda La Esmeralda, Duncan Estate, and Elida Estate.

Although the Volcán-Candela region is not as well-known as Boquete, it is situated on the eastern side of Volcán Barú, different from Boquete which is also located near the same volcano. The Volcán-Candela region has a northern mountain barrier that makes it difficult for Atlantic moisture to reach, resulting in a drier climate with abundant sunshine. Coffee is grown in fertile volcanic soil at elevations between 1,200-1,900 meters. In recent years, coffee from the Volcán-Candela region has gradually made a name for itself in the specialty coffee market. For instance, Carmen Estate, which won first place in the washed category at the 2023 BOP, also achieved excellent results this year (2024), securing second and fourth places in the natural category.

Carmen Estate Coffee

Carmen Estate is located at an elevation of 1,750 meters between Panama's Volcán Barú and the Volcán-Candela valley, ranking alongside the famous Elida Estate as one of Panama's two highest-altitude Geisha estates. Covering a total area of 70 hectares, its location in the valley provides access to the Chiriquí River, which flows south through the valley all the way to the Pacific Ocean. The valley not only offers beautiful scenery but also features significant temperature differences between day and night, combined with fertile volcanic black soil, creating an excellent growing environment for the coffee planted here. Due to Carmen Estate's substantial planting area and the elevation differences, the coffee harvest season can last for nearly five months each year.

In 1960, Ms. Efrain and Mr. Carmen Franceschi arrived in Panama and established Carmen Estate. With over 60 years of history, the estate is now fully managed by the third-generation owner, Mr. Carlos Aguilera Franceschi. Since its establishment, Carmen Estate has consistently focused on cultivating high-quality coffee. Despite its long history and modest scale, the coffee beans produced by Carmen Estate always achieve notable success in Panama's BOP competitions.

Carmen Estate maintains 60% of natural primary forest, where coffee trees are planted and grow under this natural shade. Management has always insisted on harmonious coexistence with the natural ecosystem. Through innovative agricultural management practices, they aim to protect the natural rainforest ecosystem within the coffee plantation as much as possible, earning the "C.A.F.E PRACTICE" (Coffee and Farmer Equity) certification in 2014.

Like many Panamanian estates, Carmen's coffee harvest typically occurs from late December to March of the following year, with fully ripe coffee cherries being hand-picked. Waste generated during processing (such as pulp or juice) is properly converted into compost or recycled. After initial sun-drying, the green beans are stored in dedicated warehouses for secondary moisture adjustment until hulling is performed just before export to maintain excellent green bean quality.

Currently, in addition to the familiar Geisha variety, Carmen also cultivates Caturra, Catuai, and other varieties. In this year's BOP competition, Carmen Estate's Catuai demonstrated outstanding performance, with this natural processed Catuai batch scoring an impressive 91.5 points and securing fourth place in the Multi-Variety category. Besides traditional washed and natural processing methods, the estate owner produces micro-batches with experimental processing techniques such as controlled fermentation and ASD (Anaerobic Slow Dry) each year.

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