Which coffee bean trees does Hacienda La Esmeralda grow besides Geisha?

Hacienda La Esmeralda splits its coffee into two groups by variety: Geisha and Catuai. Beyond the famous Geisha labels, the estate sells Catuai-series brands Diamond Mountain and Palmyra. This Diamond Mountain lot uses Catuai and Caturra from the Jaramillo and Cañas Verdes farms at 1,400 to 1,700 meters, sun-dried in Boquete, Panama.

Catuai has a long planting history in Panama and is valued for high yield, disease resistance, and clean, bright cup qualities. Buyers who order by estate name alone sometimes overlook variety details, so checking whether a bag lists Geisha, Catuai, or Caturra matters, since coffee bean trees on the same farm can carry very different flavor profiles.

When people mention Panama's Hacienda Esmeralda, most first think of Geisha, yet the estate's Catuai and Caturra are equally worth attention. This article focuses on the Diamond Mountain brand under Hacienda Esmeralda, outlining its variety origins, the terroir of its two major farms, sun-dried processing details, and sharing Front Street Coffee's roasting curve, cupping performance, and brewing parameters. Whether you want to broaden your coffee knowledge or seek a high-value Panama bean, this article will guide you to understand another side of Hacienda Esmeralda beyond Geisha.

Hacienda Esmeralda's reputation in the coffee world is resounding; it was through the Geisha variety that it swept the global specialty coffee market, and today it is almost universally known in the industry. Panama Hacienda Esmeralda and the Geisha variety are certainly famous, but many friends unconsciously equate Hacienda Esmeralda directly with Geisha, recognizing only the estate name when ordering and overlooking the variety information behind it, ultimately receiving a cup of Hacienda Esmeralda coffee that is not Geisha—an awkward situation. So, besides the renowned Geisha, what other coffees does Hacienda Esmeralda cultivate?

Looking at Hacienda Esmeralda's official website, the estate first categorizes its coffee into two main types by variety: Geisha and Catuai. Under Geisha, it further subdivides into Esmeralda Special, Private Collection, and Geisha 1500, commonly known as Red Label, Green Label, and Blue Label.

The focus of this article, however, falls on the Catuai series beyond Geisha. This series includes two brands: Diamond Mountain and Palmyra. The Catuai variety has a long planting history in Panama and has always been favored for its high yield, disease resistance, and clean, bright qualities. Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) has introduced a batch of Hacienda Esmeralda's Diamond Mountain coffee this time.

Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) Panama Hacienda Esmeralda Sun-Dried Diamond Mountain

Region: Boquete, Panama

Estate: Hacienda Esmeralda

Growing Altitude: 1400-1700 meters

Coffee Varieties: Catuai, Caturra

Processing Method: Sun-Dried

The raw materials for this Diamond Mountain coffee come from Hacienda Esmeralda's two most productive and representative farms: Jaramillo and Cañas Verdes.

Jaramillo holds a prominent position within Hacienda Esmeralda, with an average altitude exceeding 1650 meters, daytime temperatures roughly between 19 and 25 degrees Celsius, and nighttime temperatures dropping to 11 to 15 degrees. The significant temperature difference between day and night allows the coffee trees to accumulate nutrients calmly; annual rainfall is about 4000mm. Such terroir conditions enabled the Geisha variety grown here to win the BOP championship in 2004 with its captivating floral aroma, making Geisha and Hacienda Esmeralda famous overnight.

Cañas Verdes is one of the farms included when the Peterson family first purchased Hacienda Esmeralda. It was initially used for grazing dairy cows, and later, surrounding small plots were gradually integrated, transitioning to coffee cultivation. Today, Cañas encompasses nine small plots including Lino.

Cañas's altitude is also above 1650m, with an average daytime temperature of 16 to 23 degrees Celsius, an average nighttime temperature of 11 to 15 degrees, annual rainfall of about 3500mm, and a distinct dry season of three to four months. The overall climate remains cool and pleasant.

Coffee Varieties

This Diamond Mountain coffee is composed of two varieties: Catuai and Caturra.

Catuai originates from the Guarani word "multo mom," meaning "very good," and is divided into Yellow Catuai and Red Catuai. The variety was bred in 1949 by crossing Yellow Caturra with Mundo Novo, initially numbered H-2077.

Catuai has been cultivated in Panama for a long time and is widely loved for its high yield, strong disease resistance, and clean, bright flavor. Compared to Bourbon, Catuai's yield advantage is very obvious; one reason is its shorter stature, which allows for reduced spacing between plants and rows, with planting density almost twice that of Bourbon.

Processing Method

This Diamond Mountain coffee adopts sun-dried processing. During the sun-drying process, harvested coffee cherries are sent directly to the courtyard for drying. As the cherries gradually dehydrate, the coffee beans remain wrapped inside, slowly absorbing fruity and aromatic substances.

Depending on weather and site conditions, the coffee cherries are dried on concrete platforms for 3 to 5 days, about 8 hours per day. When the cherries are dried to a certain degree, they are transferred to a Guardiola drier and rotated for 72 hours to complete drying and inhibit fermentation. After drying, the skin and pulp are mechanically removed.

Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) Roasting Analysis

Although Caturra struggles to match Geisha coffee in flavor, thanks to Hacienda Esmeralda's meticulous management and similar growing altitude, its quality and flavor remain at a premium level. Front Street chose a medium-light roast.

Charge at 165℃, heat 130, airflow 3; turning point at 97.3℃ (1'36"), adjust airflow to 4 when the drum temperature reaches 112℃, keeping heat unchanged; at 153.2℃ the bean surface turns yellow, grassy notes completely dissipate, entering the dehydration phase; at 8'30" wrinkles and dark patches appear on the bean surface, toasty notes clearly transitioning to coffee aroma, which can be seen as the prelude to first crack.

At 184℃, reduce heat to 70. At this point, carefully listen for the sound of first crack; first crack begins at 9'48", adjust airflow to 5. Develop for 1'20" after first crack, discharge at 191℃.

Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) Cupping Results

Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) Brewing Recommendations

Dripper: V60#01

Water Temperature: 90-91℃

Dose: 15g

Ratio: 1:15

Grind Size: Medium-fine (80% passing Chinese standard No. 20 sieve)

Brewing Method: Three-stage extraction. First, bloom with 30g of water for 30 seconds, then pour in a small stream in circles until 125g for the first stage; when the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring until 225g and stop; when the water level drops again and is about to expose the coffee bed, remove the dripper. Time from the start of blooming; total extraction time is 1'55".

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.