What Other Coffee Varieties Besides Geisha Does Panama's Hacienda La Esmeralda Have? What is Diamond Mountain Coffee?

For a long time, Geisha has been a highly sought-after coffee variety. According to the World Coffee Research Center, the Geisha variety was first discovered in the forests of Ethiopia in the 1930s. It was later sent to research institutions in various countries and didn't reach Panama until the 1960s.

It wasn't until Hacienda La Esmeralda discovered it and entered it into the BOP competition that Geisha coffee became popular worldwide. However, before the arrival of Geisha, Panama, like other Central American countries, primarily cultivated Caturra and Catuai varieties. Hacienda La Esmeralda was no exception, having always planted Catuai varieties and sold them under the Diamond Mountain brand.

Currently, Hacienda La Esmeralda owns three coffee plantations: Jaramillo, Canas Verdes, and El Velo. In these plantations, besides Geisha and Catuai, many different experimental varieties are also cultivated, such as SL34, Pacamara, Laurina, and others. For this reason, they have launched the Varietals Collection brand in recent years.

The Geisha variety is mainly divided into Esmeralda Auction, Esmeralda Special, and Private Collection. Among these, Esmeralda Special and Private Collection are commonly known as Red Label and Green Label. Additionally, this year Hacienda La Esmeralda also introduced a "Black Label" batch, selecting some experimental batches, special processing methods, or batches grown at extremely high altitudes from the Red Label, marked with the color black.

The Catuai variety is sold as the Diamond Mountain variety. Named "Diamond Mountain" to symbolize its high quality and unique flavor, much like a precious diamond. The coffee beans are selected from Catuai grown at altitudes of 1400-1600 meters in the Jaramillo and Canas Verdes farms, primarily processed using washed and natural methods.

Catuai, a variety developed by the Instituto Agronômico de Campinas (IAC) in São Paulo, Brazil, is a hybrid between Mundo Novo and Caturra. Its name originates from the Guarani word "multo mom," meaning "very good."

Compared to Bourbon, Catuai has an overall shorter tree form with closely spaced fruits, allowing for dense planting, high yield, and adaptability to higher altitude cultivation. With its excellent quality, it has become very popular, and therefore many estates in Panama grow the Catuai variety.

All of Hacienda La Esmeralda's plantations are located in the Boquete region of Panama, the country's main coffee-producing area situated in the Chiriqui province in western Panama. Near the famous Volcán Barú, this region benefits from fertile volcanic soil and unique, diverse microclimates, allowing coffee and other plants to thrive here.

Although its popularity doesn't match that of Geisha, it is equally influenced by Boquete's unique environment and Hacienda La Esmeralda's high-quality management, resulting in equally excellent performance. Combined with its affordable price, it offers even better value. FrontStreet Coffee's Hacienda La Esmeralda Diamond Mountain uses traditional natural processing. After brewing, you'll notice a slight fermentation sensation from the natural processing, bright acidity upon entry, with citrus, nut, and honey flavors, a smooth mouthfeel, and a cocoa aftertaste.

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Recommendations

Dripper: V60#01
Water Temperature: 90-91°C
Dose: 15g
Ratio: 1:15
Grind Size: Medium-fine (80% pass-through rate on China standard #20 sieve)

Brewing Method: Three-stage extraction. Bloom with 30g of water for 30 seconds. When the water level drops to about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring in a circular motion with a small water flow to 125g for stage division. When the water level drops again to about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g and stop pouring. Remove the dripper when the water level drops to about to expose the coffee bed (timing starts from the bloom). Extraction time is 1'55".

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