Despite being less frequently seen or mentioned than origins like Colombia, Ethiopia or Kenya, Panama occupies a unique place in the specialty coffee zeitgeist for one reason in particular: Geisha. Though this coveted coffee variety was first discovered in Ethiopia, it was in Panama in the early ‘00s that its incredible flavour potential was first truly discovered and it began its rapid ascent into celebrity status. Since then, Panama has become almost synonymous with the Geisha variety in the minds of coffee enthusiasts.

That said, this Panamanian lot, one of two brought to us by our friends at Cedar (a first for them!), is not of the Geisha variety. Cedar has deliberately decided against bringing in a Panamanian Geisha, instead opting to highlight some of the other spectacular coffee produced on the Central American isthmus. This particular coffee is a naturally-processed lot of Pacamara, which boasts boozy fruit notes bold enough for Cedar to label this as its “Reserve” Panamanian lot.

Like Cedar’s other current Panama offering, this lot was exported by K&R Specialty Coffee. K&R is a family-run Panamanian green coffee exporter whose stated purpose is to promote the specialty coffee of the Boquete region, the best-known of Panama’s three coffee growing regions. It strives to provide high-quality specialty Panamanian coffee to roasters around the world year-round, and is dedicated to “making the [Panamanian] specialty coffee industry a sustainable operation that generates wealth in the community.”

K&R maintains a close relationship with its partnered farmers, all of whom contribute collectively to many of its lots, and provides them with the resources and facilities to ensure the consistent production and export of fantastic Panamanian coffee. This particular lot, though, comes from a single farm: Finca La Vanguardia.

La Vanguardia is the Ruiz family’s own farm, and has been since 1981. A range of coffee varieties are grown at La Vanguardia. The farm specialises in natural coffees, such as this one, and makes use of both standard drying patios and traditional, raised African coffee drying beds.

Phaedon's tasting notes

I don't get to taste that many Panamanian coffees, and most of the ones I've tasted have been of the Gesha variety, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this one. It's actually quite nice to approach a coffee that way, without too many preconceived notions. Perhaps that allowed me to pick up on all the subtle flavours and characteristics this complex coffee has to offer.

Fruit! First and foremost this coffee has many fruity flavours to explore and savour. My notes feature berries, stone fruit and even hints of tropical fruit. Despite all the fruitiness, it's still quite well-balanced with a deep sweetness, a relatively full body and some interesting and quite pungent aromatics. It's very enjoyable and quite unique in its combination of characteristics. I also found that it lent itself to most brew methods.

Cedar’s notes

“On filter we picked up a range of boozy flavours such as purple grape, cola and freeze dried strawberries, and then some peach. Espresso represented similar characteristics as filter, but with a few more berry notes. With milk we picked up strawberry milkshake and chocolate-covered blueberries. This is a great coffee whichever way you try to brew it.”

• Cup profile: Mixed berries, peach, chocolate-covered blueberries

Coffee details from Cedar

• Farm/Producer: La Vanguardia
• Exporter: K&R Specialty Coffee, owned and operated by the Ruiz family
• Country: Panama
• Region: Palmira, Boquete, Chiriqui
• Process: Natural
• Altitude: 1850 - 1900 masl
• Variety: Pacamara