Panama Carmen Estate

The two main coffee regions in Panama are Boquete and Volcan. Volcan is basically the Baru Volcano which is the highest mountain in Panama and has a surreal beauty and overlooks Boquete. Orchids naturally grow in the wild, rainbows are always present, everything is a lush green, and it has a jungle-like feel to it. Birdwatchers, hikers, anthropologists, photographers, etc all enjoy the beauty of Baru Volcan. This is where Carmen Estate exists.

Of course all of the coffee grown on this mountain that I've ever had tried has been fantastic. Think of it as a Costa Rica, it has that balanced acidity, citrus undertone, and pleasant coffee taste. But it really is its own origin. The aroma of brown sugar/coffee cake sets the stage, and then tastes of toffee, flowers and citrus leaves me very happy.

Keep it out of the 2nd cracks. Even as you approach 2nd cracks, the bean has lost a lot of what makes it special. About 5 degrees past the ending of the first cracks is where you want to land. It takes a LOT of heat at the end of the roast and wants to stall out during the first cracks, so give it a lot of momentum going into the first cracks. If you like microlot El Salvador and Costa Rican washed process coffees, you'll really dig this one -- and you'll want to roast it pretty much under the same roasting curve and end points that you use for those beans.

US Arrival December 2022