10 Best Panama Coffee: Demystifying the World's Most Expensive Coffee

Coffee-Growing Regions in Panama

Compared to larger countries in North and South America, Panama may look small on a map. Panama is slightly larger than Ireland — sitting at 29,100 square miles. But the country’s rich history includes its eventual victory in its fight for Independence, the American-bankrolled Panama Canal, and its proximity to other coffee-growing powerhouses. Its two major regions of coffee growth exist in one province: Chiriqui. If you’re considering traveling to Panama to taste the Panamanian gold, know that this is where you’ll have to go.

Coffee Production in Boquete and Volcán, Panama

Boquete

Boquete has become one of the most prolific coffee-producing areas in Panama due to its Volcanic climate and geography. Located 37 miles from the political border with Costa Rica, the region rests between 1,000 and 2,800 meters (3,000 to 9,2000 feet) elevation and a population of around 20,000. The cooler temperatures at this elevation mixed with the moisture from the Pacific and the volcanic soil make it an incredible location for growing coffee. First brought by Spanish colonizers who established the first coffee plantations and agricultural farms, the crop flourished in the area. The coffee has outlived the various political affiliations the country has had over the years.

Varietals

• Geisha
• Typica
• Caturra
• Catuai

Famous Coffee Farms

Visitors can find famous coffee farms near plenty of mountain towns and rural areas, including Palmira, Volcancito, Horqueta, and the classic Jaramillo. Here’s what we recommend:

• Finca La Valentina
• Lamastus Family Estates
• Don Pepe Estate Coffee
• Hacienda La Esmeralda
• Jamarillo Special

Volcán

Nearby Boquete, you’ll find the region of Volcán Baru with its towering volcanoes and fertile highland landscape. Constantly growing through tectonic activity as recent as 2006, the highest point in the country is in Volcán, sitting at 3,474 meters (11,398 feet). With the native jungles still intact, the rich biodiversity can only add to the moist, cool air and volcanic soil’s ability to produce incredible coffee beans. It’s no wonder tourist websites list coffee tours as one of the best things to do when visiting Volcán.

Varietals

• Pacamara
• Mocca
• Bourbon

Famous Coffee Farms

There are a few different coffee farms that stand out in this region.

• Mil Cumbres Coffee Farm
• Janson Coffee Farm
• Finca Deborah
• Many lesser-known coffee farms also produce worthy coffee, so do some digging before booking a trip to a farm.

Don’t skip Panama City!

But if you’re traveling to see and taste the best coffee Panama has to offer, there’s one more region you need to hit. Panama City has a taste for coffee that may be unrivaled. If their mountainous highlands can create the most expensive raw beans in the world, you must ask yourself what their roasters can create. With the route to international luxuries traveling through the Panama Canal, you can bet the country’s capital benefits from some sweet deals on coffee. Journey to their local cafes to try a cup.  

The Geisha Variety

History and origin of Panama Geisha Coffee
The Gieisha has a long history that originally traces back to Ethiopia. But upon importing the bean from Africa, the Panamanian people — with their deep indigenous roots in coffee farming — were able to perfect and capitalize on this bean’s flavors. In the Boquete region, the Elida Estate harnessed the growing power of the volcanic soil, ideal climate, and high-altitude conditions when farming the Geisha.

Flavor profile and cupping notes
The Geisha is known around the world for its shocking taste on the tongue. The floral flavors that include hints of jasmine and lavender add a beautiful freshness to the coffee’s taste. However, the floral aromatics lead the zesty lemon and citrus undertones. And one of the most surprising features is how pronounced the flavors of honey, tropical fruits, or even subtle caramel notes that can be found in your brew.

Traditional and Modern Processing Methods

Traditional Methods
Processing coffee beans starts when the beans still live inside the coffee cherry. In Panama, coffee farmers spread out the hand-picked cherries on large tables to utilize the sun-dried method. Some farms use raised brick or raised tables where the cherries are turned regularly to dry and avoid molding. Once dry, the fruity pulp is mechanically removed so the green coffee beans rest and wait for export. This method is seen as more traditional and requires less machinery.

Modern Innovations
More processing innovations have begun to crop up. Honey or natural processed coffee is growing in popularity around Central America, including nearby Costa Rica and El Salvador. In this honey natural process method, the growers de-pulp the cherries with a slight film of fruit left on the bean. The bean is then directly dried on a drying table (as opposed to being washed in a tank.) This allows less risk for over-fermentation, but the fermented and dried fruit leaves behind a sugary film around the coffee bean that’s comparable to honey. The latest technique in the coffee industry has gained popularity among connoisseurs and those participating in coffee competitions. Anaerobic fermentation is similar to the washed method, but the fermentation process is done in fully sealed and oxygen-deprived tanks. It’s experimental, but anaerobic coffees have incredible, surprising flavors.

Economic and Environmental Impact

Economic Importance
Like most countries, their economies and environments work hand-in-hand. For example, the Panama Canal took away a large selection of the lowland Panama in favor of commerce contributing hugely to the country’s 63 Billion USD GDP. Alternatively, the country also has one of the highest percentages of forest cover in the world, covering 68 percent of the country’s total area. Those areas often coincide with indigenous territories, which maintain the strongest protections for their forests across Panama and thereby prevent deforestation. And as we mentioned above, the indigenous regions of Panama are where the country’s best coffee is grown.

Sustainable Practices
The indigenous growers built their coffee-growing practices through trial and error throughout generations. This growth isn’t built upon supplements or specific fertilizers, but rather creating coffee in a healthy ecosystem that requires a close connection to the land and yield. The coffee trees grow above lush grasses and fertile volcanic soil and beneath tall, unpruned avocado and banana trees. These tall banana and avocado trees provide shade and canopy coverage that allows birds, scientifically understood as key to healthy ecosystems, the ability to perch, nest, and feed. While the tall trees provide erosion control with their deep and sprawling roots, the birds handle the pest control and improve pollination. These organic, shady growth practices mean that water goes further through increased retention and every nutrient naturally in the soil is put to its best use.

Coffee Culture in Panama

Coffee has long been something enjoyed in the homes or workhouses of the indigenous people. However, as the country’s economy began to boom and word got out about the incredible tourist potential, coffee shops sprung up. Now it’s hard to go to a mall or city without seeing advertisements for coffee shops pulling their specialty coffee or coffee farm tours to show you how it’s made. In the Boquet region there’s another homage to the dark brew, the Feria de Boquete. Otherwise known as the Boquete Flowers and Coffee Festival, this Panama festival fills the streets of this small town with food, decorative flowers, and an influx of celebrants. With the backdrop of countless coffee farms and gargantuan mountains, this festival certainly isn’t one to miss if you’re traveling to Boquet in January. With a small $2 entry fee there’s no excuse.

Brewing and Tasting Panama Coffee

When brewing any type of coffee, paying attention to the details is the best advice we can give. And with Panamanian Geisha or other coffee varietals, that advice holds. Geisha is some of the most expensive coffee in the world, so it’s best not to waste any. Pay close attention to your grind, allow your boiled water to reduce in temperature slightly, and use filtered water. And if we can add one last tip: taste it clean before you doctor it up. This coffee is prized for its taste without milk, cream, or sugar. For a truly complex flavor, fish out your pour-over or French press to highlight all the notes, background flavors, and additional nuance.
Tasting notes: And for this tenderly grown coffee, you’ll want nuance. The mineral-rich soil of Boquet or Volcan regions of Panama creates a robust bean that has a mouth-watering blend of floral, citrus, and even fruit flavors. Some farms grow flavors that feature peach tastes whereas others hold notes of apple, pear, and even black tea.

Conclusion

With an already incredible coffee culture and an understanding of coffee-growing practices, Panama has no limit to what it can achieve. Adding to their sustainable growing practices, the many different coffee processing methods allow for a wide variety of flavors. But if you’re considering tasting the Geisha varietal, complex and a variety of flavors won’t be an issue. And if you’re considering traveling to the city to taste Panamanian coffee, then be sure to check out their coffee tours in Volcan and Boquete and the wide variety of coffee shops in Panama City.