Panama - Mario Arriba 4 BANC, Hacienda La Esmeralda

It is the Peterson family of Hacienda La Esmeralda, established in 1967, who set the course for Panama Geisha’s global prominence, irrevocably changing the coffee world. Initially driven by Geisha’s resistance to coffee leaf rust, they serendipitously uncovered its potential for exceptional cup quality when planted at the highest altitudes on their Jaramillo farm.

In 2004, enabled by their innovative cultivation method of lot separation based on altitude & microclimate, the Peterson family made history as Jaramillo Geisha broke all records for the highest price ever paid for coffee at the Best of Panama auction. This moment set the precedent for how exceptional coffee is now recognized & valued, ushering in an era of Panamanian coffee as an internationally coveted luxury & the flagbearer for variety-focused, terroir-driven production.

In the 2024 Best of Panama, two decades after their historic victory, they placed 7th & 8th in the Geisha Washed category, 10th in Geisha Natural, and 5th & 13th in Varietals—perpetuating their legacy & influence as iconic pioneers of Panama Geisha.

Panama Geisha is a rare coffee variety with an extremely delicate root system that requires the perfect alignment of climatic, agronomic, and temporal factors in order to thrive and bear cherries with the complexity and flavor clarity that have captivated specialty coffee lovers, and especially coffee champions, since its phenomenal debut at the Best of Panama in 2004.

Along with upholding the health of the natural cultivation environment, meticulous harvesting and strategic lot separation is a critical step to produce exquisite coffees recognized for a range of complex cup profiles and remarkably consistent high quality.

The remarkably high quality and coveted complexity of the Panama Geisha at Hacienda La Esmeralda primarily depends on the unique terroir and precise allocation of Geisha plants to specific microclimates that support their resilience and maximize their capactiy to develop the potential for the most desirable sensory attributes.

Then, it is an exacting hand-picking protocol followed by seasoned pickers that ensures only the coffee cherries at the optimal maturation levels are harvested and consequently isolated into lots that then allow for the configuration of the most appropriate post-harvest processing approaches to enhance the inherent quality of the coffee.

Through the expertise of passionate producers like the Peterson family, legendary enterprises like Hacienda La Esmeralda preserve the pristine natural environment where Panama Geisha best flourish, and process their cherries with intention and tact to carve out myriad, new, delightful flavor directions time and again.