Panama Gesha Estate Washed Red Label GeshaCoffee Bean Intro:
Esmeralda Special Washed
Qianjie Coffee: [Emerald Estate · Red Label Gesha] Coffee Beans Processing Method: Washed Process The reputation of Panama’s Emerald Estate in the specialty coffee world is truly outstanding. Established in 1964, it has over fifty years of history. In 2004, the estate’s Gesha coffee shot to fame at the BOP competition, thereby solidifying the Emerald Estate’s status in the specialty coffee scene.
Initially, the Gesha variety was introduced to Panama as an improvement breed. Due to its low fruit yield and mediocre flavor at lower altitudes, it was not favored by farmers. In the 1960s, Rudolph A. Peterson purchased the Emerald Estate in Boquete for his retirement, primarily focusing on dairy production. In 1973, Peterson’s son returned to Boquete to assist his father in managing the farm, began emphasizing coffee production, expanded the cultivated area within the estate, and introduced more new varieties, including Gesha.
Gesha is extremely particular about its growing environment, requiring high altitudes, fertile soil, cloud cover or plant shade, and no direct exposure to harsh sunlight. The owner of the Emerald Estate mentioned that the farm requires a significant number of shade trees to protect the delicate Gesha from direct sunlight, and traditional pruning must be used during the initial planting stages, or the plants may easily die. The higher the altitude at which Gesha is grown, the longer the coffee cherries take to ripen, resulting in more complex and unique flavor profiles.
In the 1990s, many coffee trees on the farm were affected by leaf rust disease, but Daniel Peterson noticed that the Gesha trees were not severely damaged. As a result, they decided to transplant the Gesha, which had previously been interplanted with other varieties, to more areas of the farm while increasing its cultivation altitude.
In 2003, the Peterson family finally discovered the potential of Gesha. During the first cupping session, it exhibited exceptionally rich white floral aromas, berries, citrus, bergamot-like aftertastes, an extremely clean mouthfeel, and formed a very typical Panamanian Gesha flavor profile. Amazed by its quality, they decided to enter it into the 2004 BOP (Best of Panama) competition, where it went on to win championship titles for multiple consecutive years.
Emerald Estate Gesha Red Label, Green Label, Blue Label
The Emerald Estate’s marketing strategy differs from other estates. Based on cupping results, planted varieties, and specific plots, it is divided into four major brands. For the Gesha variety, there are three brands: Emerald Special (Red Label), Private Collection (Green Label), and Gesha 1500 (Blue Label). For the Catuai variety, there is one brand: Diamond Mountain.
The Emerald Estate holds its own independent auctions, and the participating lots are primarily Gesha coffees. The estate first divides the lots by planting plot, then further subdivides each plot into smaller batches for auction. Plots that are distinguished are defined as Red Label, while those not distinguished are defined as Green Label. The Blue Label has been discontinued. The Red Label includes both auctioned and non-auctioned lots.
The batch of washed Red Label Gesha we received comes from the Jaramillo plot of the Emerald Estate. Jaramillo is arguably the most renowned plot of the Emerald Estate, with an average elevation of over 1650m. It is the discovery site and cultivation origin of the Gesha that won the BOP competition in 2004. As the earliest plot acquired by the Peterson family, Jaramillo is the birthplace of Gesha, with coffee plants averaging over 15 years in age. The terrain here is relatively low, with an average maximum elevation of only 1700 meters, but the slopes are steep, making harvesting work somewhat challenging.
Jaramillo is named after the Jaramillo mountain range east of Boquete. The annual rainfall is 4000ml, with daytime average temperatures ranging from 19-25°C and nighttime averages between 11-15°C. The entire region is humid and cool. Jaramillo is subdivided into six Red Label plots: Mario, Noria, Reina, Bosque, Buenos Aires, and the newly added Caballeriza last year.
Washed process
Washing steps: After harvesting the coffee cherries, they are placed in water, where the buoyancy is used to remove underripe fruits. Then, a pulper removes the skin and pulp of the berries, followed by fermentation in tanks for 18-36 hours until the mucilage layer breaks down. After fermentation, the parchment beans are scrubbed in channels for 30-60 minutes. The specially designed channels, along with water flow, help remove lower-density, lower-quality beans. The higher-quality beans are then drained and dried on African-style raised beds.
Since the skin, pulp, and most of the mucilage are removed before the final drying stage, the inherent aroma of the coffee beans becomes clearer and more pronounced. This not only highlights citrus, lemon notes, and elegant floral scents but also makes the overall flavor of the Gesha coffee bright and delicate.
Under the management of the Peterson siblings, the Emerald Estate’s Gesha is divided into four major brands for global sales, differentiated by cupping performance, harvest and processing time, processing method, variety, altitude, and plot region.
Emerald Special ( Esmeralda Special ）, commonly known as Red Label, is the premium non-auction Gesha representation of the Emerald Estate. These Gesha lots are all cultivated at altitudes above 1600 meters, with cupping scores no lower than 91. Each micro-lot comes with highly detailed traceability information, including plot, altitude, latitude and longitude, tree age, harvest time, processing method, and more.
The flavor of Gesha coffee is world-renowned for its rich floral notes and complex fruit profiles. The Qianjie roasters aim to preserve more of the high-quality acidity of Gesha, so they opt for a medium-light roast.
Cupping Notes: Wild ginger lily, jasmine, citrus, grapefruit, honey, cream
