Panama Carmen Estate 1900 Catuai Natural

A beautifully smooth, clean natural processed coffee with just the right touch of fruitiness. A cup of this coffee opens with vibrant tropical notes notes of starfruit, hints of kiwi, and a sweet mango finish. A subtle citrus brightness lifts the profile, while sweet layers of delicate chocolate and fruit weave together harmoniously. Enjoy a perfectly balanced cup with depth and complexity in every sip.

The Carmen Estate is located in Panama's Volcan Valley near Boquete, a prime coffee-growing region know for its high elevation, rich volcanic soil, and unique climate with cool nights and sunny days. The farm grows varieties like Catuai, Caturra, Typica, and Geisha at about 1800 meters above sea level, producing about 1,200 bags of coffee annually. The harvest, handpicked by the indigenous Nobes people, takes place from December to March. The farm practices strict environmental standards, with over half of its land shaded by native trees and certified by the rainforest alliance. The area's volcanic soil and excellent climate make volcan valley one of the best coffee-growing regions in Panama.

Carlos Aguilera Franceschi and his family owned the farm for many years. It was founded by his parents and named after his mother Carmen in the 1960s. Carlos took over ownership and management over time and the farm frequently produced award winning coffee. In 2023, farm ownership passed to the Dashang Group of China. Much of the work on the farm, and the technical know-how and direction of its coffee, has been steered in recent years by Jean Paul Langenstein. His influence spans both owners and provided not only a smooth transition, but the coffee has become even more elevated in quality.

Carmen Estate has won or placed in almost every Best of Panama competition:

2024 - #2 Geisha Natural - 95 points
2024 - #4 Geisha Natural
2024 - #4 Varieties, Catuai Gran Reserva
2023 - #1 Geisha Washed - 96.5 points
2023 - #9 Geisha Natural
2023 - #10 Caturra Washed
2020 - #1 Traditional Washed, Gran Reserva
2019 - #7 Geisha Washed
2018 - #3 Traditional Washed and #4 Geisha Natural
2017 - #2 Geisha Washed, #4 Geisha Washed (Palomar Estate), #5 Traditional Natural and #4 Traditional Washed
2015 - #5 Traditional Washed Caturra and #9 Natural
On and on back to at least 2003

The Volcan Valley follows the course of the Chiriquí Viejo river as it flows down from the mountains of Cerro Punta to the Pacific Ocean. Their rich volcanic black soil and superb drainage are ideal for Arabica Coffee. Its proximity to both Pacific and Atlantic Ocean provide a unique micro-climate with cool, frost-free nights coupled with dry, sun-drenched days. Volcan’s pairing of excellent volcanic black soils with an outstanding micro-enviroment has led to its recognition as one of the finest coffee growing regions of Panama.

There are several climate conditions that set this coffee apart: the coffee farm is located at a very high elevation, 1,800 masl, which is one of the highest farms in Panama. Grown in rich, volcanic soil, this Catuai varietal enjoys a cool climate and a significant amount of fog and mist during the dry season.

There are several local conditions that set this coffee apart from others. The farm is located at a very high elevation (1,800 to 2,500 meters), making it one of the highest coffee farms in Panama. It is grown in rich, volcanic soil with a cool climate and a significant amount of fog and mist during the dry season. The coffee trees are surrounded by virgin-native cloudy rain forest, and because of the cool temperatures at night, it takes 2 to 3 years longer than the average coffee tree before these trees begin to produce. The low temperatures also contribute to an extended ripening time by 1 month, creating a more developed coffee bean.