Carmen Geisha - Panam, La Cabra | 100g

A complex and delicately floral washed Geisha from the Carmen Estate, on the Baru Volcano in the western Panama highlands.

Coffee Expression This washed Geisha lot displays the delicate and perfumed florals we expect from the iconic varietal, balanced, poised and clean.

Producer The Carmen Estate was founded in 1960, named for its first owner, Carmen Francheschi, who purchased the land together with her husband Efrain.

100g (3.53oz) - Whole Bean Coffee / Both for filter and espresso

Carmen Francheschi

The Carmen Estate was founded in 1960. The estate was named for its first owner, Carmen Francheschi, who purchased the land together with her husband Efrain. Carmen lies on the western slopes of the Baru Volcano, near the town of Volcán, a long drive from the more famous centre of Boquete on the eastern side. The land was passed down through the family until it landed with Carlos Aguilera Francheschi, Carmen and Efrain’s grandson. Carlos steered the Estate through Panama’s great boom following the discovery of Geisha on the other side of the volcano, by the Peterson family at Hacienda La Esmeralda.

Excellent raw material

Nowadays, the farm is run by manager Jean Paul Langenstein, who originally started with the company as a roaster, before gaining a great deal of experience in coffee production and management. We visited in April 2024 and spent the day with JP, walking the farm and understanding what makes Carmen so special. This is an excellent blend of modern and traditional farming know-how. 

The conditions here are truly something special, requiring minimal inputs in order to produce excellent quality. The rich black volcanic soil and superb drainage on the steep slopes are excellent for coffee, while this side of the volcano is more influenced by the cooling winds from the Pacific, compared to the warmer Caribbean influence in Boquete. The cool nights are coupled with dry sunny days, leading to optimal growing conditions, with slowly maturing trees thriving at high altitude under abundant native shade. This allows Carmen to use agricultural practices that maintain ecological awareness.