La Esmeralda Tumaco, Panama

About this coffee

In 2004, La Esmeralda and the Peterson family introduced the world to the exquisite Panamanian Gesha, forever changing the landscape of specialty coffee. Since then, their coffees have captured hearts and awards alike, culminating in a historic moment at the 2025 Best of Panama auction where La Esmeralda took first place in every single category, securing a historic Triple Crown victory with the highest scores ever recorded. This direct trade lot comes from a single hectare section known as Tumaco on the Cañas Verdes farm. It sits approximately 5,740 feet above sea level. With trees averaging seven years old, this is a young, highly intentional planting that reflects both precision agriculture and the continued evolution of Gesha at origin. In the cup Tumaco delivers a mouth coating, expressive profile of juicy guava and passionfruit up front unfolding into layers honeysuckle. The natural process amplifies the fruit sweetness while preserving clarity. The cherries were dried for 41 days on raised beds in La Esmeralda’s climate controlled drying room. This enclosed environment designed with constant airflow and tightly managed temperature and humidity allows for slow even dehydration that preserves aromatics while refining structure. The result is a Gesha that feels meticulously sculpted rather than simply processed. Tumaco reflects the ongoing pursuit at La Esmeralda: pushing clarity, florality, and fruit expression to their highest form while maintaining balance and elegance in the cup.

Coffee details reported by George Howell Coffee.