Panama

When I visited Panama in 2012, it turned out to be a pretty good trip and I ended up meeting some of the big names in specialty coffee, even though I had no idea at the time. When I came back I thought this would be a great place to live someday because you could go surfing, drink gesha all day at the farm and sleep on a deserted island.

Wilford is the owner of Finca Elida, one of the most famous gesha-farms out there, around the Volcan Baru National park in Boquete. One of them is where this coffee is from, Finca El Burro, where he grows Gesha and Catuai at an altitude of 1575 - 1800 masl. This is where gesha trees thrive, the cold, the altitude, the volcanic soil, the mist that keeps the humidity up even in the dry season and extends the ripening time. All of this adds to the unique cup quality of this coffee.

It tastes sweet because of the long ripening time of the cherries. It tastes floral and like jasmine because of the variety. And it tastes like strawberry candy and winegums because of the natural process.