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    Panama Esmeralda Private Collection Geisha Natural

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      Purchase Panama Esmeralda Private Collection Geisha Natural

      Panama Esmeralda Private Collection Geisha Natural

      $61.36


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      About Panama Esmeralda Private Collection Geisha Natural

      Arrived by air in August 2025 in vacuum sealed boxes, this is a Direct Trade coffee. Always a customer favorite.

      Stop the presses! If you have not already heard, this past June, Hacienda Esmeralda took 1st place in all 3 categories in the 2025 Best of Panama competition. This is an unheard of achievement considering the sheer number of coffees entered in each category. Each entry was cupped blindly multiple times, first by a National jury of roughly 20 judges, who narrowed down and refined the groups of 24 coffees in preparation for the International jury to take it the rest of the way. Barry Levine, the principal from Roastmasters, was one of the judges in the international group.  The 3 categories are Geisha Washed, Geisha Natural and Varieties, essentially everything other than Geisha. Let's also add that the Esmeralda Geisha Natural set a world record score of 97 points, the average score of 22 international judges. That record lasted for 2 hours because that same day, Esmeralda Geisha Washed set yet another new world record of 98 points.  At that point, no one knew who produced these coffees. When the accountants were done with the tabulations, and the countdown of the Varietals category happened, the Peterson family of Esmeralda were thrilled to take first place for wonderful Laurina. Then, on to Geisha Washed and once again - drum roll - Esmeralda won again and the family was dancing in the aisles with happiness.  Lastly, the top 8 winners were announced for Geisha Natural. When their name was announced, they were over the moon with excitement and the entire audience was on their feet.  It was almost a miracle!

      But then, all of the top coffees from the competition go to a private auction that was held on August 6. Each lot being auctioned is a mere 20 kilograms or roughly 44 pounds. Let's cut to the chase, the Esmeralda Geisha Washed sold for  US$ 30,204.00 /kg ($604,080) or about $13,730 per pound green. The two other Esmeralda winners fetched  US$ 23,608.00 /kg for the Esmeralda Geisha Natural and  US$ 8,040.00 /kg for Esmeralda's Laurina Natural. A huge haul and an equally huge achievement for the epic property and the family behind the coffee, the Petersons, whom we can call our friends.

      There is yet to be another auction of just coffee from Hacienda Esmeralda, so stay tuned.

      Now, on to this Private Collection Geisha Natural.  Let us be clear, this is NOT the coffee referenced above.  It is however, excellent in its own right and is from the same producer and growing area. In fact, this is a collection of Geisha Natural gathered from one of their most reknowned properties, Jaramillo. 

      Hacienda Esmeralda put Panama on the high end coffee map about 20 years ago with the "discovery" of the Geisha coffee variety and to this day, coffee from their farm command some of the highest prices in the world.  We have another coffee from them to be offered later in the season that is considerably more expensive and in extremely small supply.  For now, their more affordable Private Reserve Geisha in a Natural process, is available today.

      While we recognize it is still quite expensive compared to many coffee, Panama Esmeralda Private Reserve Geisha represents a great bargain in one of the world's most expensive and sought after coffees - Esmeralda Special - which is sold only through a privately held international auction for professional roasters, much of which is discussed above. Each year for the past several years,  Altogether there is not much coffee, only about 20,000 pounds, which must fill a big demand from all corners of the world (this may sound like a lot but is only half of one shipping container). Competition for the coffee is fierce and prices can go very high, even excepting the auction winners. By the time the coffee reaches roasters around the world it is not uncommon for it to sell for hundreds of dollars per pound.

      Fortunately, for the recent past years, Esmeralda has released their "second coffee", the 100% Panama Esmeralda Private Reserve Geisha. As in the wine world where the second wine of the very top chateaux are fabulous wines in their own right, still costly but a relative bargain. Lafite-Rothschild has its Lafite Rothschild Carruades de Lafite; Chateau Latour its Les Forts de Latour. These wines would be great in anyone's book, but they are withheld, often for a tiny detail, from being in the rarefied top lot. The same holds true for Esmeralda Private Reserve Geisha. This is a wonderful coffee, exhibiting much of the same lovely jasmine, floral and lemony tones witnessed in auction lots but at a much lower price. The cost is higher than last year, in part due to the new import tariff.

      There is only a very limited supply of this coffee too. It comes from three growing plots on the Hacienda Esmeralda farm which range in altitude from 1450 to 1800 meters (4750 to 5910 feet).  The plot we have selected this year is their Jaramillo lot, which is often where their top and winning lots come from.  At this price, Panama Esmeralda Private Reserve Geisha may not casually seem a bargain, but it is considerably less than half the price of its sibling and almost the same taste experience. We really feel that the Geisha varietal is well represented in this coffee and that you will thoroughly enjoy it.

      Naturally, every detail of growing and processing has been done at the farm to produce this fine coffee. The finished green beans arrived at our warehouse in vacuum packaging. 

      • Farm:  Hacienda La Esmeralda
      • Producer: The Peterson Family
      • Country:  Panama
      • Province:  Chiriqui
      • City: Boquete
      • Region: Jaramillo
      • Altitude:  1600 - 1700 meters
      • Variety:  Geisha
      • Processing:  Classic Natural
      • Drying: Raised beds and gardiola


      Price Peterson of Hacienda Esmeralda (right) with Barry from Roastmasters about 2015


      The Peterson family of Hacienda Esmeralda with the coveted first place Geisha Natural award 2025



      Cup Characteristics: Lots of candy notes with very sweetly concentrated fruit. Fruity and sweetly floral  jasmine and hibiscus notes. Flavors of root beer, some tropical fruit, orange, cherry, dried figs, prune. Natural processing was carefully done, making for mild fruit penetration. The result is a very sweet, balanced, elegant coffee that is both powerful and delicate all at once.

      Roasting Notes: Keep it light and we recommend pulling this roast just after first crack. It's a little tougher with development of Naturals as beans are a bit drier and roasting quicker, so lower the heat a lot as you approach first crack. This will best preserve the delicate Geisha citrus and fruit flavors, which can be masked if roasted darker. Look for a development time in the 10-12% range.