Specialty Coffee Association of Panama

K & R Specialty Coffee was born with the purpose of boosting the “Specialty Coffee” of Boquete and the high areas of cultivation in Panama, being offered to small and large roasters around the world throughout the year and not only in times of harvest, Since roasters love to try new formulas and new varieties, but they want to receive, quickly and expeditiously, the small lots for which they develop a great hobby and with which they can offer their customers an exclusive product and service.

Complying with the highest quality standards from a careful selection of the grains, the profile of the cup, a packaging that must at all times preserve the quality and characteristics of the same in its primary and secondary packaging and taking care at all times Logistics for the timely delivery to its destination as a fundamental factor, for which we have suppliers or world-class companies committed to customer service that are contributing to our commitment of quality from its origin.

Today we are the fourth and fifth generation of the Ruiz family, Boqueteños, dedicated to the development of the coffee industry in Panama; During the last 5 years, we have been exploring developing this niche, strengthening our brands and varieties of which is distinguished as the best “specialty coffee” in the world. For the connoisseurs, we offer the window of opportunity that they acquire the best lots of specialty coffee in the area of ​​origin with due rest that for the industry and the producer, making of the specialty coffee industry a sustainable operation, that generates wealth in the community.

To obtain the best final product, we work with the producer from the grain harvest and throughout his process to obtain a product of the best quality by executing quality controls to ensure the quality of our products.

In order to preserve the product with all its intrinsic, physical, and chemical characteristics such as aroma, moisture, shock, color; Vacuum packed with a controlled atmosphere is required, using environmentally friendly packaging.

La Vanguardia

La familia Ruíz- Araúz llegó a trabajar con las fincas de café en el Corregimiento de Palmira, Distrito de Boquete, en el año de 1,979. Sin embargo, Don Plinio Ruíz González había trabajado desde la década de 1930, en una pequeña finca de café en la región de Jaramillo Arriba en Boquete.

Cuando Don Plinio y Doña Elisa decidieron por la zona de Palmira para desarrollar mucho más el negocio de café el cual desarrollaba Don Plinio desde 1,964, buscaban además de un área productora, una que pudiese servir para el procesamiento y secado del café, pues en su pequeña finca en Jaramillo siempre había fuertes lloviznas de “bajareques” y necesitaban un mejor lugarcito para secar los buenos lotes de café que procesaban pues la alta calidad fue siempre una preocupación de la familia.

Fue así que compraron variadas fincas y una de las más pequeñas es la Finca La Vanguardia, nombrada así porque la madre de Plinio Sr. QEPD quien nombró así su finca más grande en Palo Alto cerca a lo que ahora es Kotowa farm.

Desde el año 2021 don Plinio Ruiz Jr y su familia cultivan en La Vanguardia las variedades de Pacamara y Catuai rojo, su taza es muy agradable. Su altura es de 1,100 masl average, pero con buenas prácticas y secado al sol, se han logrado sorprendentes resultados en varios de sus lotes.

The Lamastus Family Estates, a coffee growing family since 1918, is the owner of the Elida Estate, El Burro Estate, and Luito Geisha Estate coffee. Elida and El Burro Estate coffees have been constant winners of many quality awards in international and local competitions. The elevation of the farm, the quality conscious and quality oriented farms are operated by three generations of coffee growers; the grandfather, Thatcher, son Wilford, and grandson Wilford Jr share the passion for coffee and the family tradition that have made this possible.

ELIDA:

Elida Estate is located in Alto Quiel, Boquete, between 1,700m/5,600 – 1,950/6,200ft and has won top awards consistently in the SCAP BOP competitions in all of the different categories: Traditional Natural, Traditional Washed, and in both Geisha Natural and Geisha Washed category. Also, Elida Geisha has won The Good Food Awards in a couple of occasions.

The ultra-high elevation Elida Estate goes from 1,700m to 2,200m and part of it is located within the Volcan Baru National Park which is a protected World Heritage site, ecological reserve, and sanctuary for exotic plants, birds and mammals (like the tropical tiger). The farm has a total of 65ha of which 35ha are planted with Catuai, Geisha and a little bit of Typica, the rest is private forest reserve or is inside the VBNP . Coffee in this farm, for now, is only grown up to 1,900m in this area of Panamá coffee has not being planted and grown higher than this elevation. But, this year we even planted at 2,050m.

El BURRO:

El Burro Estate coffees are produced in one of the most undisturbed coffee farms in Panama, like Elida farm, part of it is also inside the Baru Volcano National Park. Organically grown, shade-grown, bird friendly, the farm is located at a very high elevation (farm goes up to 2,000m, coffee up to 1,800m), in a microclimate with very low temperatures for coffee.

El Burro Estate has a total of 50ha of which 20ha are planted with Geisha and Catuai, 10ha are to be planted and the rest is a private forest reserve or is inside the VBNP. Coffee in this farm is only grown up to 1800m (~6000ft).

Like it is in Elida Estate, the coffee trees are surrounded by the Volcan Baru National Park -a virgin-native cloudy rain forest, the nights get cold here, these low temperatures also extend the ripening time. All these unique growing conditions are shown in a distinguished cup.

For several years we have offered the third-wave coffee roaster our super-specialty Elida and El Burro coffees: Washed, Honey and Natural. Our 30+ (and growing) small roasters from all over the world keep coming back for their micro-lots. They cup and pick their preferred lots based on cup attributes. This 2016 season we did over 50 separate lots and are shipping each lot separated to our roasters in: Taiwan, Japan, Australia, Norway, Sweden, China, Hong Kong, Korea, and the USA.

Both of these coffee are produced under a unique world-condition for several reasons: first the farms are located at a very high elevation (Elida is one of the highest coffee farms in Panamá), coffee is grown in rich young volcanic soils, the temperatures are low, there is lots of fog and mist during the dry season, the coffee trees are surrounded by virgin-native cloudy rain forest, the nights get cold here thereby taking a tree from 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 years to start producing  (2 or 3 years longer to produce than average), these low temperatures also extend the ripening time 1 month longer (thereby the development of the bean). All these unique growing conditions show in a distinguished cup.

The Baru Volcano National Park (BVNP) is a protected World Heritage Site and one of the highest volcanoes in Central America, with 14,000ha and 7 different climate zones depending on the elevation and we are part of it in both of our farm. The fastest and closest coffee farm to the BVNP is Elida Estate.

Luito:

Is the third estate in the Lamastus Family Estates, it was founded by Luito Lamastus, brother of Wilford and son of Thatcher, Luito passed away in 2014 and he never saw the first harvest of the farm, but his father and brother take well care of this coffee and offer it to the same roasters that buy either El Burro and/or Elida. It is mainly a trout farm that is its main source of business, but the slopes of the estate were planted with Geisha coffee from Luito’s father nursery. It has around 17 Ha of only Geisha varietal and it goes from 1600-1750 Masl. This farm is located in Bajo Mono, Boquete that is north of the mountain range and is facing the Caribbean ocean which makes it a very humid microclimate with a constant mist and cold nights, these characteristics will be reflected in the cup with unique tropical notes. Luito, like El Burro and Elida is processed in Elida Estate’s mill using the same processes and drying methods.

The coffee estate is located in the mountains of Boquete, Panama and owned by the Osorio brothers.  The location is unique within La Amistad International Park with altitudes that range between 1500-1650 meters above mean sea level.  Its topography is defined by mountain slopes, humid ground and temperature between 15C to 20C with a delicate balance of shade and sun.  The estate has an extension of 12 hectares.

Blessed with an outstanding micro climate for the production of Arabica coffee as well as personal dedication to the production; our Arabica coffee (SHB)  is of outstanding quality and Finca La Valentina focuses on specialties micro lots.  Our arabica “Geisha AriStar” is a washed coffee with a cupping score of 91-93 points.  It yields a clean cup with high acidity, floral citrus fragance, fruity aroma, sweet chocolate berries flavor (1th place Best of Panama 2011).  Our arabica “Catuai Valentina” (is a washed coffee with a cupping score of 86-87 points. It yields a clean round cup, with high acidity and strong chocolate and caramel notes.  In 2012, we introduced our first micro lots of natural processed coffees selecting Arabica geisha, catuai and typical varietals obtaining excellent results.

Contacts:

Mr. Benjamin Osorio Baxter
bosorio@cwpanama.net
Mobile: +507-6616-6304

Mr. Efrain Osorio Baxter
osorio.baxter@gmail.com
+507-6676-2782

www.fincalavalentina.com

LAS BRUMAS PANAMÁ COFFEE FARM/ SANTA CLARA RENACIMIENTO

CÉSAR ISAAC ARAÚZ VEGA

(FROM THE “ARVESA” GROUP)

(HIGHLAND COFFEE EXCLUSIVELY FOR YOU)

 “Las Brumas Panamá Coffee Farm” is a family heritage that is part of an economic group dedicated to the marketing of the cherry coffee, the parchment coffee and the golden coffee, from the Arvesa Group, looking forward to market the coffee that is produced mainly in their farm; for an exclusive market.

The coffee farm is distributed in two globes of land, which contains 24.50 hectares of coffee in growth and production.

Its current owner, César Araúz, is responsible for the agronomic part, the wet and dry milling process, besides being in charge of the quality control of the coffee that is produced in this farm.  Its current owner has had studies related to the Coffee Denomination of Origin and currently he is a Q grader, which accredits him as a certified Specialty Coffee Asociation of America (SCAA) coffee taster.

This agricultural company is located in the Township of Santa Clara, District of Renacimiento, Province of Chiriquí, Republic of Panamá, at a minimum height ranging from 1,360 meters above sea level up to 1,490.00 meters above sea level.

The most important varieties of coffee in this farm are the Caturra and Catuai, Geisha, San Ramon and Jardin.  In 2015 a replanting of Geisha and Pacamara varieties was done.

Among the cultural practices are the periodic fertilization, foliar applications, and most of the products used are green label.  Everyday we try to implement good agricultural practices that tend to the environmental conservation. We do not use herbicides in the farm since 2007.

Part of the history or binnacle of “Finca Las Brumas” says that generally the coffee harvest starts at about the end of October with the first grainning, with a peak of harvest  during the months of December and January to finish the process of peeling twice at the end of February.

The land where coffee is planted is presented in a topography ranging from semi-broken, broken and plain in its lower parts. The manpower used in this farm is purely indigenous “Ngobe Bugle”, from the areas of Tole, San Felix and  Alto Chamin.

The room areas for the workers consist of wooden camps, keeping the local  tradition of each of the natives that work in the farm.

All the farm is assisted by 6 permanent laborers that do the agricultural works, and they are kept in the Social Security system, canceling their employment benefits as required by law.

Farm crops in growth are between 2 meters by 1.25 mostly, and in other parts where there is not so much sun penetration between 2 meters by 1.50.  The 2 meters hint between street, and the 1.25 and 1.50 between plants.

Pruning is done every year at the end of the crop, specifically in March and April.  This is accompanied by a desuckering or deshooting.

The production farm is exempt from glyphosate and herbicides.  The grass is cut periodically in the farm at the end of April and at the beginning of May and in mid September.

The first fertilization is done in the first fortnight of March. The second fertilization is done at the beginning of May and the third one at the beginning of September.

Coffee berry borer controls are made, collecting the coffee beans that are left once finished with the harvest; borer traps are placed and also the application of Bauveria Bassiana is done in all the farm.

Tastings have been held of the coffee that is produced in the farm and with certified tasters that have determined that the coffee, besides of having a clean cup, has  an excellent aroma, good synergy between the body and balance, with citrus and chocolate flavor.

What “Finca Las Brumas” wishes to highlight is the exclusiveness that is given to the client-consumer that its coffee, besides keeping a program of good agricutlural practices,  certifies that what you are consuming is 100% coffee and that it is exclusive from the farm where it is produced.  This guarantees the consumer that he or she is getting a product that has gone through a good treatment, that it is a wholesome product, harmless and with an excellent quality.

Coffee from “Las Brumas Panamá Coffee Farm”, has been shown in the trade Fair of Anaheim California (2009) Portland Oregon (2011) and in the Coffee, Tea and Wine Fair held in November 2013 in Taiwan, Taipei, Atlanta (2016) places where this coffee had a good acceptance, mainly the one that was worked in a natural way in the varieties of Caturra-Catuai (blend), and in a small proportion the Geisha, that is produced in the farm.

In the year 2015, it won the right to participate in the electronic auction of  specialty coffee held last June 23rd, 2015 with the sample named “Explosión”.  When this sample was auctioned, it was acquired by the Australian company called Reuben Hills.

LAS BRUMAS PANAMÁ COFFEE FARM/ SANTA CLARA RENACIMIENTO

PANAMÁ

(HIGHLAND COFFEE EXCLUSIVELY FOR YOU)

CONTACT:

CÉSAR ISAAC ARAÚZ VEGA, THE OWNER

TELEPHONE: RENACIMIENTO CHIRIQUÍ, PANAMÁ:  (00507) 60902892/65180572/7228957

We are a boutique producer of organic luxury coffee with three small farms in Boquete, Panama.  Our passion is the authentic expression of varietal and terroir through the Art of Geisha.  We embrace the principles of permaculture, organic and biodynamic farming, and our production is 100% free of herbicides, fungicides, pesticides, and chemical fertilizers.  The cycles of the Earth and Moon guide us through each phase of the journey from seed to cup.  Our practices result in decreased yields compared with traditionally managed farms, but our focus has never been on yields.  The reward comes in the cup, where the unadulterated flavors and vibrant aromas come alive in an unrivaled sensory experience.

Our proprietary process and drying techniques aim to release and accentuate the inherent attributes of the varietal and terroir, without dominating notes of process.  We are constantly innovating our process and drying techniques in order bring out the best qualities of each unique vintage.  At a time when many producers are embracing more extreme process, we maintain our dedication to terroir driven coffee making.  We use only our own wild, naturally occurring yeasts in our fermentations, never manufactured yeasts or any other outside ingredient.  With only two employees, the founder is hands-on in all aspects of coffee making from farming and production, process and drying, roasting and cupping, all the way to the final product.

We view our farms as integrated, whole, living organisms consisting of crops, soil, microorganisms, forest, water, animals, microclimate, as well as the people and the spirit of the place.  We view each farm as a canvass from God, and it is our job to paint the masterpiece.  Each farm has its own unique personality.

Misty Mountain is wild forest Geisha.  Young and wild, playful yet majestic.  Mysterious and silent on the edge of virgin forest, rough hewn from the wild.  Its very unique micro climate is sunny and breezy during the harvest season and enshrouded in mist the other half of the year, creating low yields, intense flavors and delicate aromas.  With the same passion as the founders of Boquete generations ago, we built this farm from scratch, carefully clearing by hand, leaving all large trees while finding the ideal mix of sun and shade and monkey bridges, and planting a mix of bronze and green tip geisha into the virgin soil.  Occupying an elevation of 1550 to 1800 meters in the La India region of Boquete, a primarily south facing slope allows sunshine to filter through the canopy while offering refuge from the pummeling north winds of the dry season.  Carving this farm from the forest has been a long and challenging process, and our efforts were rewarded with our first harvest receiving 6^th place in the Geisha Natural category of the 2018 Best of Panama with a score of 92.25, fetching $101/lb at the auction.

Windy Ridge is mature and refined, wise yet exotic.  The green tip geisha has rooted deeply, accessing rich volcanic minerals beneath the soil.  At 1600 meters with a westerly slope directly facing the Baru Volcano in the center of the prized Alto Jaramillo region of Boquete, the farm is bathed in afternoon sunshine injecting uncommon sweetness, exotic tropical flavors and intense jasmine florals into the cherry.  As with old vine wines, the cup is enriched by a depth and complexity that only comes with age.  Year after year our Windy Ridge Geishas place among the top coffees in the Best of Panama, consistently receiving among the highest prices at auction.  In both 2018 and 2019, our Windy Ridge Geishas received the third highest price of the entire auction, and second highest producer with a price of $216 and $318/lb.

Taking advantage of the drier microclimate of the Palmira region of Boquete, Fennario is where all of our coffees are taken directly after harvest for processing and drying.  Providing an excellent cup relative to its elevation, Fennario has been producing organic Caturra and Catuai since we acquired the farm in 2003.  It is also home to the Longboard Lab.

email: producer@longboardcoffees.com
cel: +507 6870-4750
instagram: longboard_coffee
www.longboardcoffees.com

About Us

Don Mariano Coffee was named after Cafetalera Los González owner Mr. Mariano González. Mr. Mariano is a passionate coffee grower that has been taking care of his farm for the last 60 years. He is also a dear member of the Boquete community.

Mr. Mariano, encouraged by his 3 daughters, joined the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama last year. He participated for the first time in the 2016 Best of Panama Competition and won 5th place in the Natural Traditionals Category. At Cafetalera Los González we are very excited that Mr. Mariano’s lifetime work can now be enjoyed in other countries.

The Farm

Cafetalera Los González is located in the region of Horqueta in the Boquete Highlands and grows mostly high elevation Catuai grown at an average of 1,600 meters above sea level. It has been owned by the González family since 1920.

Contact Us

Phone: +507 6246-4609

Location: Horqueta, Boquete, Chiriquí, República de Panamá

E-mail: malenago04@gmail.com