Panama Coffee Beans

Panama produces a very small volume of coffee relative to its reputation in the specialty market. The country's growing regions are concentrated in the highlands of Chiriquí province, particularly around Boquete and Volcán on the slopes of Volcán Barú, where elevations above 1,500 metres, rich volcanic soils, and the cooling influence of the Baru volcano's cloud forest create some of the most distinctive growing conditions in Central America. Output is limited, farm sizes are small, and prices for quality lots are among the highest in the specialty coffee world.

Panama's outsized profile in specialty coffee is largely down to one varietal: Geisha. First brought to Panama from Costa Rica in the 1960s and largely ignored for decades, it came to international attention at the 2004 Best of Panama competition and has commanded premium prices ever since. Geisha from Boquete at its best is florally complex in a way that stands apart from almost any other coffee: jasmine, bergamot, stone fruit, and a tea-like delicacy that washed processing tends to highlight most clearly. Natural and anaerobic Geisha lots bring more fruit and body while retaining that distinctive floral character. Panama also produces good lots from other varietals, including Catuai and Typica, though these rarely reach the same price or profile ceiling as Geisha. We source from Panama when the right lots become available. Any coffees we are currently roasting will appear below.

Browse: Geisha varietal · Latin American coffees · All single origins