Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Gesha Natural Tumaco 5NC [Score: 92.75]

Roast Level: Light
Variety: Gesha
Process: Natural
Region: Cañas Verdes, Panama
Elevation: 1750 m+

We taste: Jasmine, mango, honeysuckle, and sweet citrus

Founded in 1967 by Rudolph Peterson, Hacienda La Esmeralda is a family farm in Boquete, Panama, known for its over 50 years of coffee cultivation excellence. The farm benefits from rich volcanic soil and an ideal climate, contributing to the vibrant flavors and exceptional aroma of its coffees.

Tumaco 5 NC was harvested on February 11, 2025 from the Tumaco plot at Hacienda La Esmeralda’s Cañas Verdes farm. After picking, the cherries were dried for 46 days on raised beds inside a climate-controlled facility with steady airflow and precise temperature and humidity regulation.

Now managed by Rachel and Alex Peterson, Hacienda La Esmeralda has won 1st prize at the Best of Panama competition in 2006, 2009, 2010, and 2019 -- and in 2025 became the first producer in history to win all three major categories in the same year (Gesha Washed, Gesha Natural, and Varietals), achieving the competition’s first-ever “triple crown.”

Fun fact: In 2004, the Peterson family made headlines at the Best of Panama competition by highlighting the Gesha varietal, which achieved the highest auction price ever and won first place.