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Panama has always been a coffee-producing country that Best Coffee greatly admires. The uniquely high quality of Panamanian coffee is largely due to its microclimates.

Bordering Costa Rica and Colombia, Panama’s east-to-west orientation allows cold air currents to flow through the central mountain range and converge above 6,500 feet, creating a very distinctive microclimate in the Boquete and Volcán regions, making them the primary coffee-producing areas in Panama.

The land around these regions is nutrient-rich, and these fertile soils provide perfect growing conditions for coffee, giving rise to a wealth of unique, high-quality coffees.

Barista at Best Coffee often recommend the Gesha coffee from Hacienda Esmeralda as representative of Panama, but today we’re not featuring Hacienda Esmeralda—instead, we’re introducing a wine-processed coffee bean from Hartmann Estate.

Coffee Bean Information

Coffee Region: Panama, Volcán

Coffee Estate: Hartmann Estate

Planting Altitude: 1,650 meters

Coffee Variety: Caturra

Processing Method: Wine Processing

Volcán Region

When it comes to Panama’s coffee tradition, the well-known specialty coffee regions are mostly from Boquete. However, in recent years, coffee from the Volcán region has gradually emerged in the specialty market, with quite a few estates even entering the Best of Panama competition and even winning championships. Generally speaking, the Volcán region has lower average annual rainfall than Boquete, and its geographical location west of the Barú Volcano also gives its coffee a stronger dried fruit flavor, sweetness, and aroma compared to Boquete.

In the early days, the Volcán region was mainly planted with economic crops like fruits and vegetables, with only a very small number of farmers growing coffee. Among them, the pioneers of coffee cultivation in Volcán were the renowned Hartmann family in Panama.

Hartmann Estate

To date, there are at least two published books focused on the bird-friendly and shaded cultivation themes of Hartmann Estate, along with over ten papers published in scientific journals, demonstrating its fame extends not only within the coffee industry but also its environmental conservation efforts resonate widely in the scientific community.

Today, the estate is operated by the third generation of the family. Mr. Ratibor Hartmann and his four siblings each take on different roles at the estate. They live together on the farm and make a living by growing coffee.

The Hartmann family also manages and processes coffee for many other estates in Panama, such as the perennial Best of Panama winner Finca La Mula and the 90+ estate in Panama, both under the management of the Hartmann family. Though the estate remains very low-profile and rarely appears in Best of Panama, their coffee is among the finest in Panama. The Hartmann family has played an indispensable role in establishing Panama’s current reputation in the coffee world.

Wine Processing Method

The wine processing method, also known as carbonic maceration, is a term borrowed from the wine industry. It involves placing whole, uncrushed grape clusters along with stems into a barrel filled with carbon dioxide (an oxygen-free environment). The grape berries burst, releasing juice, which is then separated from the skins before yeast is added for fermentation. This process can be used with neutral grape varieties to produce aromatic wines, resulting in softer, fruitier wines with distinct aromas of cherry liqueur, banana, bubblegum, and cinnamon.

In the wine processing fermentation method, first, the coffee cherries are placed in a sealed container with a one-way valve, similar to the anaerobic method. Since the coffee cherries’ skins remain intact, fermentation may take several days or weeks. The varying pressure in the tank produces different levels of sugars and pectins for microbes to break down.

The wine processing method allows control over pH levels, and even temperature and humidity, to ensure the quality of the coffee beans, while the sealed fermentation prevents aromatic compounds from evaporating easily.

Roast Curve