Panama

Coffee from Panama was once overlooked and underrated among the Central American coffee-producing nations. Costa Rica and Guatemala were well-recognized in the US and Europe. But the buyers in the coffee trade knew that coffees from the Chiriqui district in Panama, including those centered on the small town of Boquete, were every bit as good in the cup.

But that era of oversight has ended in dramatic fashion, with some exotic Panamanian coffees now garnering spectacular prices in auction. The Gesha cultivar, with its floral top notes, has lavished heaps of attention in general on Panama coffee production.

Panama coffees from higher altitudes are brightly toned, with clean fruited notes and sometimes floral aromatics. Lesser Panama coffees are quite different and had been a staple of higher-end commercial roasters and lower-end specialty roasters.

Generally, the better coffees come from the Boquete and Volcan coffees from the Chiriqui district, ones from small family-owned farms that produce the unique coffees.

There are photos, videos, and extended Panama coffee descriptions in the SM Coffee Library!