Panama Geisha Coffee Story: Panama Geisha Coffee Bean Pour-Over Parameters, Flavor, and Taste Characteristics

Panamanian Geisha Coffee: A Comprehensive Guide

When it comes to Panamanian coffee, Panamanian Geisha coffee beans cannot be overlooked. The elegant flavor of Geisha was first discovered by Panama's Hacienda La Esmeralda. In 2004, Hacienda La Esmeralda won the Panama green bean competition with their Geisha coffee, making Geisha coffee famous worldwide. FrontStreet Coffee has introduced several FrontStreet Panamanian Geisha coffee beans. Some people might ask, isn't Geisha just one flavor? Why launch so many similar types?

FrontStreet Coffee conducts thorough research before launching each bean variety. From regional information and roasting curve adjustments to cupping and brewing evaluations, FrontStreet Coffee has fully understood the information of each coffee bean. The most important reason for launching a bean is whether its regional flavor is distinctive enough and has突出的突出点. Indeed, Geisha coffee has its common flavor characteristics - rich floral and fruit aromas with fruity tones, and high levels of sweetness, acidity, and complexity. However, the several FrontStreet Panamanian Geisha coffee beans that FrontStreet Coffee has acquired not only possess the signature Geisha flavor but also develop upon this flavor, making each of FrontStreet Coffee's Geisha coffee beans share commonalities while also having unique personalities.

Geography and History of Panamanian Coffee

Panama is located at the southern tip of Central America, bordering Colombia. Located on the isthmus connecting the North and South American continents, it has held strategic value since the 16th century (Columbus era). In the early 19th century, Panama was politically inclined southward and once formed part of Gran Colombia along with Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela. However, since 1903, Panama separated from the alliance with American help; at the moment the canal was excavated, Panama's destiny became intertwined with the United States. This Panama Canal, which cuts through Central America, connecting the Pacific Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Atlantic Ocean, not only opened up shipping trade but also brought extensive agricultural knowledge from the United States and Europe. Many North American retirees choose to settle in Panama for its mild climate and lower cost of living, which has also contributed to the development of Panama's coffee industry.

Panamanian coffee has a smooth mouthfeel and balanced acidity, with high-quality coffee beans offering pure and distinctive flavors. The first batch of exported coffee ships in November each year.

In 1780, Europeans first brought the first Typica variety trees to Panama. At the end of the 20th century, the construction of the Panama Canal attracted many elites to move south, promoting the development of the coffee industry. However, early Panamanian coffee was not well-known and had limited production. With the development of the third wave of specialty coffee, the concept of specialty Panamanian coffee has matured, especially with the rise of Geisha flavor in 2004, which has long occupied the top coffee rankings.

Panamanian Coffee Regions

Panama's terrain is varied with crisscrossing valleys. Except for the coastal plains in the north and south, most areas are mountainous. Close to the equator, it has a tropical marine climate with humid days and cool nights, with an average annual temperature of 23-27°C. The year is divided into dry and rainy seasons, with an average annual precipitation of 1500-2500mm.

High-quality Panamanian coffee is mainly grown in northwestern Panama, near Costa Rica and close to the Pacific Ocean. Coffee produced in the Boquete coffee region of Chiriqui province is particularly famous.

Boquete Coffee Region

Boquete is grown at altitudes as high as 1,400-1,900m, located near the border between Panama and Costa Rica, close to the famous Baru Volcano. With its beautiful scenery, fertile and rich soil, and climate and soil perfect for producing high-quality coffee.

Within the Boquete region, there are many excellent estates. Besides Hacienda La Esmeralda, there are also Elida Estate, Kotowa Duncan Estate, and others that produce high-quality specialty coffee. This is not only due to the mild climate conditions of Panama's Boquete region and the fertile volcanic ash soil of Baru Volcano. Another important factor is the varied microclimates found in the highlands of Boquete, Panama.

Volcan Coffee Region

When it comes to Panamanian coffee, most people are familiar with specialty coffee regions from Boquete, but in recent years, coffee from the Volcan region has gradually emerged in the specialty market. Many estates have even entered the Best of Panama competition and won championships. The Volcan region generally has less average annual rainfall than Boquete, and its geographical location on the west side of Baru Volcano gives its coffee a stronger dried fruit flavor, sweetness, and aroma compared to coffee from the Boquete region.

The main cultivation altitude in the Volcan coffee region is 2,000-3,000m. In the early days, most of the Volcan area was planted with fruits, vegetables, and other cash crops, with only a few farmers growing coffee. Among the pioneers of coffee cultivation in the Volcan region was the Hartmann family, which is quite well-known in Panama.

RENACIMIENTO Coffee Region

The Renacimiento region is a region within Chiriqui province, with a main cultivation altitude of 1,100-1,500m. It borders Costa Rica. The region itself is relatively small, so it is not a major specialty coffee-producing region for Panamanian coffee beans.

Specialty coffee emphasizes traceability. Being able to trace which plot of which estate the beans come from, or which cooperative or which farmer, pursuing the flavor of the region. Only by visiting coffee origins and stepping into coffee estates can one understand how that subtle coffee background, charming flavor, and variable aroma come about: microclimate? variety? processing method? Or the coffee farmer's secret techniques?

Hacienda La Esmeralda Estate

Hacienda La Esmeralda is located in a corner of Baru Volcano, so Panamanian coffee beans produced in this area were often named after Baru Mountain before becoming famous. The area around Boquete has beautiful scenery, with many leisure hotels, vacation estates, and even buildings along the important Rio Caldera River.

In 1964, American banker Rudolph A. Peterson retired, moved to Panama, and bought Hacienda La Esmeralda in Boquete, initially focusing on dairy farming.

In 1973, his son Price Peterson earned a Ph.D. in neurochemistry in the United States but returned to Boquete to help his father run the farm. In 1987, he introduced Caturra and Catuai coffee bean varieties, and in 1994 established a washing processing plant, giving them their own coffee processing facility. In 1996, they acquired the nearby Jaramillo Estate, which had a superior geographical environment and good-flavored original coffee varieties, and incorporated it into Hacienda La Esmeralda.

After Price took over, he divided the estate's planting areas into five major brands based on altitude, microclimate, cupping performance, and cultivated varieties. For the Geisha variety, there are three brands: Esmeralda Special, Private Collection, and Geisha1500. For the Catuai variety, there are two brands: Diamond Mountain and Palmyra.

Plot Division of Hacienda La Esmeralda

Hacienda La Esmeralda's Geisha is extremely finely divided by plots, with three main plots: Jaramillo, Canas Verdes, and El Velo. Each plot is further subdivided into smaller plots. High-quality Geisha is mainly produced from the Jaramillo and Canas Verdes plots.

Jaramillo has an annual rainfall of 4000ml, with average daytime temperatures of 19-25°C and average nighttime temperatures of 11-15°C, at an average altitude of 1600-1700m. The Jaramillo plot is subdivided into 5 small plots: Mario, Noria, Reina, Bosque, and Buenos Aires.

Canas Verdes has an annual rainfall of 3500ml, with average daytime temperatures of 16-23°C and average nighttime temperatures of 10-15°C, at an average altitude of 1600-1800m. Canas Verdes includes 9 small plots: Lino, Coronado, Fundador, León, Montaña, Trapiche, Chinta, Cabaña, and Tumaco.

El Velo is the latest plot acquired by Hacienda La Esmeralda, with an average altitude of 1700-1900 meters, annual rainfall of 4000ml, average daytime temperatures of 16-25°C, and average nighttime temperatures of 11-16°C. In addition to Geisha and Catuai, this plot also has a small number of other exotic varieties such as Laurina, Pacamara, Moka, and SL28.

The entire area covers 50.25 hectares of coffee cultivation land, of which 37.9 hectares are planted with Geisha, divided into 7 detailed plots: Guabo, Portón, Durazno, Mural, Higo, Buena Vista, and Águila.

Esmeralda Special

Geisha coffee beans from Esmeralda Special are what we commonly call the Red Label. They are selected from Geisha beans grown at altitudes of 1600-1800 meters, with cupping scores above 90 points, from the Jaramillo and Canas Verdes regions.

The independent auction organized by Hacienda La Esmeralda features only the Geisha batches from designated plots that are put up for auction - these are the auction Red Labels. However, there are also non-auction Red Labels on the market now. These are actually Geisha beans selected from the same plots that were not put up for auction, then circulated in the market. The variety quality is consistent, but there are differences in pricing.

However, in 2022, Hacienda La Esmeralda separated the auction batches from the Red Label and established a separate auction batch category, so the current Red Label does not include auction batches. The pricing varies slightly according to the characteristics of each plot. FrontStreet Coffee purchases the FrontStreet slow natural Red Label Geisha batch from the Mario plot every year because the Geisha coffee from the Mario plot is exactly where Hacienda La Esmeralda won the BOP championship in 2004. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee believes that the Geisha coffee from this plot is exceptional.

This grade of Geisha coffee beans uses natural or washed processing methods, with flavors of special, bright floral aromas and citrus notes.

FrontStreet Coffee · Panamanian Hacienda La Esmeralda Red Label Geisha Coffee Beans

Region: Boquete

Estate: Hacienda La Esmeralda

Altitude: 1700m

Variety: Geisha

Processing: Natural Processing Method

Flavor: Citrus, complex fruits, rose tea, honey

Private Collection

Private Collection, commonly known as Green Label, is not an independent competition batch. It consists of Geisha varieties grown at altitudes of 1600-1800 meters that do not participate in auctions but still have excellent quality. It is a mix of micro-batches from different plots such as Jaramillo and Canas Verdes.

Because it uses a mixed bean model without detailed plot specifications, sometimes the flavor similarity between Green Label Geisha and Red Label Geisha can be very high, but the next batch might have differences.

Although Green Label Geisha is not as high-grade as Red Label Geisha, it still possesses the classic Geisha flavors - floral notes, fruit aromas, citrus acidity, and a thick, juicy mouthfeel. Green Label Geisha also comes in both washed and natural processing.

FrontStreet Coffee · Panamanian Hacienda La Esmeralda Green Label Geisha Coffee Beans

Region: Boquete

Estate: Hacienda La Esmeralda

Altitude: 1600-1800 meters

Variety: Geisha

Processing: Washed Processing

Flavor: Jasmine, citrus, honeydew melon, berries

Geisha1500

The Geisha1500 brand is what we commonly call the Blue Label Geisha. It is selected from mixed beans grown at altitudes of 1400-1500 meters from three different plots: Jaramillo, Canas Verdes, and El Velo. It has subtle floral aromas, fruit acidity, and sweetness, with a relatively less full body. Blue Label Geisha only comes in washed processing. However, Hacienda La Esmeralda adjusted its brand positioning in 2021 and officially discontinued the Blue Label series.

FrontStreet Coffee · Panamanian Hacienda La Esmeralda Blue Label Geisha Coffee Beans

Region: Boquete

Estate: Hacienda La Esmeralda

Altitude: 1500 meters

Variety: Geisha

Processing: Washed Processing

Flavor: Lemon, oolong tea, cane sugar, peach

FrontStreet Coffee · Panamanian Flower Butterfly

In addition to introducing several Geisha varieties from Hacienda La Esmeralda, FrontStreet Coffee also offers a Panamanian coffee bean with excellent cost-performance and a very beautiful name - FrontStreet Panamanian Flower Butterfly Coffee. It has 70% high-quality Geisha heritage, composed of three varieties: Geisha, Caturra, and Catuai, grown in the Baru Volcano region of Boquete, at an altitude of 1600 meters in the volcanic area. The processing plant uses fine washed processing. Panama's special microclimate results in abundant rainfall in this region and large temperature differences between day and night. Combined with the unique volcanic rock soil of the volcanic area, as well as meticulous harvesting and fine processing, this FrontStreet Panamanian Flower Butterfly Coffee performs excellently in body, acidity, and floral aroma.

FrontStreet Coffee · Panamanian Flower Butterfly

Region: Boquete

Altitude: 1600 meters

Variety: Geisha, Caturra, Catuai

Processing: Washed Processing

Flavor: Floral, citrus, black tea, classic Geisha

Elida Estate

Elida is a famous Panamanian coffee estate with a century of history and superior coffee quality, located in Boquete, a well-known specialty coffee region in Panama. Last year, a Geisha coffee bean from Elida won the championship in the Geisha processing category of the BOP competition. FrontStreet Coffee selected Elida Geisha from the same plot and altitude for tasting. Compared with Hacienda La Esmeralda's Geisha coffee beans, it was found that due to different processing methods, FrontStreet Elida Geisha has a more complex layering than FrontStreet Esmeralda Geisha.

Elida Estate has a total area of 65 hectares, more than half of which is located within Baru Volcano National Park. Only 30 hectares of the estate are used for growing coffee trees, with the remaining area still being primary forest. Coffee is grown at altitudes from 1670 to 1850 meters, making it one of the two highest-altitude coffee estates in Panama (the other estate with such altitude is Carmen Estate in the Volcan Valley).

In such high-altitude environments, low temperatures delay the maturation period of coffee cherries by about a month compared to normal maturation periods. The fertile volcanic soil provides ample nutrients for the coffee, and combined with the excellent microclimate brought by Baru Volcano, Elida Estate has repeatedly achieved excellent results in cupping competitions.

FrontStreet Coffee · Panamanian Elida Estate Geisha Coffee Beans

Region: Boquete

Estate: Elida Estate

Altitude: 1900 meters

Variety: Geisha

Processing: Anaerobic fermentation low-temperature slow natural

Flavor: Fermented aroma, roses, berries, citrus, green tea, cream, nuts

Hartmann Estate

Hartmann Estate is located in the Volcan region and was founded in 1940. The most special aspect of Hartmann Estate is its respect for the natural environment, preserving most of the primary forest, making it an academic cooperation partner with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and other wildlife conservation organizations. Even the estate's trademark uses the words "Bird Friendly." This family business has a state-level cupping laboratory and sample roasting room, using a rigorous attitude and strict standards to cup each batch of coffee fruits, ensuring the stable quality of Hartmann Estate coffee and always seeking improvement.

FrontStreet Coffee · Panamanian Hartmann Estate Geisha Coffee Beans

Region: Volcan

Estate: Hartmann Estate

Altitude: 1300-2000 meters

Variety: Geisha

Processing: Anaerobic Natural

Flavor: Bergamot, pineapple juice, passion fruit, Earl Grey tea, blueberries, apricots

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