Panama Natural - Oscarcito Estate Geisha

Pineapple, passion fruit, golden kiwi, strawberry.

Bag Weight	30 KG BAG
Harvest Season	2024/25
Status	Spot
Lot Number	P614042-1

Alameda, CA: 1 Bag(s)

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About This Coffee

Oscarcito Estate is one of several operated by Baru Indian High Estates in the Boquete district of Panama. Located in the Jaramillo region with plantings at elevations from 1400m to 1550m above sea level, the estate grows mainly Typica, with some Bourbon plantings from over 70 years ago, courtesy of Don Oscar Sanchez, the estate's founder. Several hectares on the estate are also dedicate to the Geisha variety, which is famously well-suited to the conditions in the highlands of Panama.

Country of Origin	Panama
Producer Type	Single Estate
Processing	Natural/Dry Processed
Processing Description	Sun-dried on patios
Growing Altitude	1400m - 1550m

Harvest Season	2024/25
Bag Weight	30 KG BAG
Bag Type	Grain Pro / Ecotact
Plant Species	Arabica
Variety	Gesha

History of Coffee in Panama

There are some indications that green coffee first arrived in Panama as early as 1742, but the first attempts at commercial cultivation didn’t occur until the 1780’s. Planting at low altitudes around the port city of Portobelo, these efforts failed. It would be another 100 years, when coffee was planted in the highlands around the Volcano “Baru,” before commercial cultivation of Panama coffee was successful; however, nearly all coffee grown in Panama was used for internal consumption and the country was better known for exporting tea. Panamanians drank more coffee than they grew and had to import coffee to meet demand until the 1940’s. Exports grew slowly over the years, peaking in 1996 at 181,000 bags. Although there have been a few spikes since then, exports have settled down around 50,000 bags for the last 10 years as producers shifted their focus from volume to quality. More than 50% of coffee production is still consumed domestically.

Growing Coffee in Panama

Panama coffee grows in the west, near the border with Costa Rica in the highlands of Chiriqui, which means “Valley of the Moon.” Most coffee grows in two areas near the volcano Buru: Boquete and Volcan-Candela above 1,500 masl. Many coffee estates in Panama are 30-50 hectares and many coffee families are descendant of American and European immigrants, but there are indigenous farmers and farms as small as a few hectares. Most Panama coffee is washed and sun or machine dried. Panama grows Typica, Caturra, Catuai, Bourbon, San Ramon, Pache, Mundo Novo and, of course Geisha.