Panama Coffee Beans

Panama grows very little coffee. It has one of the biggest reputations in specialty anyway, and that's almost entirely down to one varietal: Geisha. It arrived from Costa Rica in the 1960s and sat ignored for decades, until the 2004 Best of Panama competition put it on the map. Prices for the best lots have stayed high ever since.

Almost all of it comes from the highlands of Chiriquí province, around Boquete and Volcán, on the slopes of Volcán Barú. Above 1,500 metres, volcanic soil and the cooling pull of the cloud forest slow everything down, which is exactly what Geisha needs to show what it can do. Farms are small and output is limited, which keeps supply tight.

Geisha at its best, washed, is jasmine, bergamot, stone fruit and a tea-like delicacy few other coffees manage. Natural and anaerobic versions bring more fruit and body without losing that floral core. Panama grows other varieties too, including Catuai and Typica, but Geisha is what people come here for. When we have Panamanian lots in stock, you'll find them below.

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