Follow Panama's Geisha Coffee From City Cafes to Fincas and Farm Tours

In 2004, a Central American farm left an indelible print on the coffee market. That year, beans revealing a distinct jasmine aroma won the Best of Panama competition. The Peterson family, owners of La Hacienda Esmeralda in the Chiriquí Province, submitted a lot from an unusual variety they’d found growing on their farm. Identified as the Geisha/Gesha cultivar originating in Ethiopia, the delicate, bright cup with its singular translation of high-altitude volcanic terroir would go on to break records for the highest scores and highest prices ever earned for beans at auction. The Lamastus Family would eventually carry the torch, inviting enthusiastic consumers — like wine lovers flocking to Bourgogne — to peek inside the insular world of coffee cupping. 

“As a professional and well-trained taster, I cannot say Panama’s coffee is the best, but it’s special,” says Wilford Lamastus, Jr., a multi-generational owner of Lamastus Family Estates. “However, I can say that the international judges believe it’s the best, and the auction market has agreed,” he adds. To taste all the fuss, here are two ways to explore Panama’s coffee culture. 

Panama City

Start the journey at Sisu Coffee Studio, the most sophisticated café in Panama City’s Casco Viejo, or old quarter. Opened by the Lamastus family, Wilford Jr. has spearheaded the estate’s mission to educate and embrace consumers. He modeled the minimalist vibe of the studio after cafes in Scandinavia. (Sisu is Finnish for perseverance). Visitors can order pour overs of Geisha (spelled with an “i” in the U.S., but with an “e” in Panama), savor tender pastries from chef Ariel Zebede, and book a cupping class, the coffee equivalent of a wine tasting. 

Down the street, Zebede runs the diminutive A to Z restaurant which offers a seasonal multi-course tasting menu of Panamanian products, including coffee. This hidden, speakeasy-style restaurant accommodates 14 guests at the chef’s table on select nights. Zebede serves eight-day fermented Elida Estate Geisha with a dessert course and as a digestif. 

Don’t overlook Casco Viejo’s elegant hotels for great coffee, too. The new Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo has a strong program, offering Panamanian French press in its guest rooms and Café Vera. Tiempos Café at the stylish American Trade Hotel serves pour over Geisha, while La Panadería, the bakery and coffee shop at historic hot spot Hotel La Compañia, sources from Finca Lérida in Boquete.

Chiriquí Province

From the volcanic soils to the micro-climate dense with condensation from two oceans colliding in the mountains — the Pacific and the Caribbean — Panama enjoys inimitable terroir. Coffee in the Chiriquí Province grows on the slopes of Baru Volcano between 5,200 and 8,200 feet above sea level, an elevation that lends acidity and delicacy to the local cup. 

For visitors, the key towns of interest are Boquete, which has the most infrastructure, and Tierras Altas, on the opposite side of the mountain. Most travelers arrive by plane in David, the gateway to the region, then rent a car to use Boquete as a base. The Panamonte Inn & Spa on the fringe of town remains a popular choice for its relaxed lush surroundings. In the morning, visit Altieri Specialty Coffee, which opened a café in downtown Boquete to showcase its products. For day trips to fincas, drive yourself or hire a guide, though the roads are in good condition. If you book a tour to Elida Estate, one of the Lamastus family farms, staff provide round-trip transportation out of Boquete. Several other fincas offer farm tours and tastings, such as Finca Don Pepe and Finca Janson.

To wake up among coffee trees and the chirp of songbirds, book a few nights at Finca Lérida. Founded in 1929, the coffee plantation has charming guest rooms, an organic restaurant supplied by the on-site farm, and several experiences beyond coffee, including hiking in the tropical forest nearby. Further afield by several hours, eco-friendly cloud forest hotel Mount Totumas serves award-winning coffee from its farm. If you want to be ensconced in nature, book a private cabin or rooms overlooking the spectacular wilderness reserve, La Amistad National Park.

In fact, Boquete offers travelers myriad opportunities to enjoy nature, from horseback riding and trekking to zip lining, whitewater rafting, and hiking up Baru Volcano to catch the spectacular sunrise above the cloud line. As a world-class birding destination, wildlife lovers should pack their binoculars to spot more than 200 species, including the long-tailed colorful quetzal. 

“Panama has some of the best coffee in the world and the potential to be a world-renowned destination for coffee tourism like any wine region,” says Zebede. From its singular coffees, lively neighborhoods, innovative restaurants, and abundant nature, Panama should be on every coffee lover’s destination list this year.