Boquete, Panama

Boquete, in the Chiriquí highlands beneath the 3,475-metre Volcán Barú, is the most famous coffee district in Panama and the place that made the Geisha (Gesha) variety a global phenomenon. In 2004, Hacienda La Esmeralda's Geisha stunned judges at the Best of Panama competition, and the variety has since shattered green-coffee price records, exceeding US$10,000 per pound at auction in later years. Boquete's mix of high altitude, mineral volcanic soils, cool Bajareque mist, and old Typica and Caturra plantings produces extraordinarily aromatic washed and natural coffees — jasmine, bergamot, peach, and tropical fruit. The region turned Panama from a minor producer into specialty coffee's premier terroir for floral, delicate cups.

At a glance

• Altitude: 1200–1900 masl
• Typical varieties: Geisha, Caturra, Catuai, Typica
• Common processes: Washed, Natural
• Harvest: 12, 1, 2, 3

Climate

Cool highland climate with 'bajareque' mist and influence from both Pacific and Caribbean weather.

Soil & terroir

Mineral-rich volcanic soils from Volcán Barú.