Panama Esmeralda Private Collection Geisha Natural

Arrived August 2026 in vacuum packages by airfreight direct from the producer. This is a Direct Trade coffee. Always a customer favorite.

This year we have both Washed and Natural Esmeralda Private Collection.  The Natural Geisha comes from the Jaramillo farm and the Washed Geisha from Canas Verdes farm.

Esmeralda is best known for their highest scoring and most expensive Hacienda Esmeralda Especial lots. We will have a couple of those offerings available in the near future. Fortunately, for the past decade or so Esmeralda has released this  "second coffee", the 100% Panama Esmeralda Private Collection Geisha. As in the wine world where the second wine of the very top chateaux are fabulous wines in their own right, still costly but a relative bargain. Lafite-Rothschild has its Lafite Rothschild Carruades de Lafite; Chateau Latour its Les Forts de Latour. These wines would be great in anyone's book, but they are withheld, often for a tiny detail, from being in the rarified top lot. The same holds true for Esmeralda Private Collection Geisha. This is a wonderful coffee, exhibiting much of the same lovely jasmine, floral and lemony tones witnessed in the auction lots but at less than the price. Private Collection Geisha has crept up in price too and is difficult to acquire. It still represents an excellent value considering its flavors and pedigree.

Last year in 2025, Hacienda Esmeralda took 1st place in all 3 categories in the Best of Panama competition. This was an unheard of achievement considering the sheer number of coffees entered in each category. Each entry was cupped blindly multiple times, first by a National jury of roughly 20 judges, who narrowed down and refined the groups of 24 coffees in preparation for the International jury to take it the rest of the way. Barry Levine, the principal from Roastmasters, was one of the judges in the international group. The 3 categories are Geisha Washed, Geisha Natural and Varieties, essentially everything other than Geisha. Let's also add that Esmeralda Geisha Natural set a world record score of 97 points, the average score of 22 international judges at the time. That record lasted for 2 hours because that same day, Esmeralda Geisha Washed set yet another new world record of 98 points.  At that point, no one knew who produced these coffees. When the accountants were done with the tabulations, and the countdown of the Varietals category happened, the Peterson family of Esmeralda were thrilled to take first place for wonderful Laurina. Then, on to Geisha Washed and once again - drum roll - Esmeralda won again and the family was dancing in the aisles with happiness.  Lastly, the top 8 winners were announced for Geisha Natural. When their name was announced, they were over the moon with excitement and the entire audience was on their feet.  It was almost a miracle! This year, in 2026, the competition nearly repeated itself as Esmeralda took top honors in Varietals for a Laurina and was in the top couple of places in both Geisha categories. The achievements, demand and prices keep going up. 

But then, all of the top coffees from the competition go to a private auction that was held on August 6, 2025. Each lot being auctioned was a mere 20 kilograms or roughly 44 pounds. Esmeralda Geisha Washed sold for  US$ 30,204.00 /kg ($604,080) or about $13,730 per pound green. The two other Esmeralda winners fetched  US$ 23,608.00 /kg for the Esmeralda Geisha Natural and  US$ 8,040.00 /kg for Esmeralda's Laurina Natural. A huge haul and an equally huge achievement for the epic property and the family behind the coffee, the Petersons, whom we can call our friends.

This year, in 2026, the competition nearly repeated itself as Esmeralda took top honors in Varietals for a Laurina and was in the top couple of places in both Geisha categories. The achievements, demand and prices keep going up. 

Now, on to this Private Collection Geisha Natural.  Let us be clear, this is NOT the coffee referenced above.  It is however, excellent in its own right and is from the same producer and growing area. In fact, this is a collection of Geisha Natural gathered from one of their most reknowned properties, Jaramillo. 

Private Collection Jaramillo Natural is a mix of high performing Geisha natural microlots from Hacienda La Esmeralda’s Jaramillo Farm. Each microlot was dried at Hacienda La Esmeralda’s mill in Palmira. These selected microlots were evaluated through multiple cupping sessions to ensure optimal sensory quality and profile consistency. Private Collection Jaramillo Natural is a clean and fruity Geisha. It has notes of jasmine, cherry and chocolates. The Jaramillo farm growing elevation ranges from 1500 to 1700 meters.

Hacienda Esmeralda put Panama on the high end coffee map about 20 years ago with the "discovery" of the Geisha coffee variety and to this day, coffee from their farm command some of the highest prices in the world.  We have another coffee from them to be offered later in the season that is considerably more expensive and in extremely small supply.  For now, their more affordable Private Reserve Geisha in a Natural process, is available today. 

While we recognize it is still quite expensive compared to many coffees, Panama Esmeralda Private Reserve Geisha represents a great bargain in one of the world's most expensive and sought after coffees - Esmeralda Special - which is sold only through a privately held international auction for professional roasters, much of which is discussed above. Each year for the past several years,  Altogether there is not much coffee, only about 20,000 pounds, which must fill a big demand from all corners of the world (this may sound like a lot but is only half of one shipping container). Competition for the coffee is fierce and prices can go very high, even excepting the auction winners. By the time the coffee reaches roasters around the world it is not uncommon for it to sell for hundreds or even thousands of dollars per pound.

Fortunately, for the recent past years, Esmeralda has released their "second coffee", the 100% Panama Esmeralda Private Reserve Geisha. As in the wine world where the second wine of the very top chateaux are fabulous wines in their own right, still costly but a relative bargain. Lafite-Rothschild has its Lafite Rothschild Carruades de Lafite; Chateau Latour its Les Forts de Latour. These wines would be great in anyone's book, but they are withheld, often for a tiny detail, from being in the rarefied top lot. The same holds true for Esmeralda Private Reserve Geisha. This is a wonderful coffee, exhibiting much of the same lovely jasmine, floral and lemony tones witnessed in auction lots but at a much lower price. There is only a very limited supply of this coffee too.

Naturally, every detail of growing and processing has been done at the farm to produce this fine coffee. The finished green beans arrived at our warehouse in vacuum packaging flown direct from origin. 

• Farm:  Hacienda La Esmeralda
• Producer: The Peterson Family
• Country:  Panama
• Province:  Chiriqui
• City: Boquete
• Region: Jaramillo
  
• Altitude:  1500 - 1700 meters
• Variety:  Geisha
• Processing:  Classic Natural
• Drying: Raised beds and gardiola
  

Cup Characteristics: Lots of candy notes with very sweetly concentrated fruit. Fruity and sweetly floral  jasmine and hibiscus notes. Flavors of root beer, some tropical fruit, orange, cherry, dried figs, prune. Natural processing was carefully done, making for mild fruit penetration. The result is a very sweet, balanced, elegant coffee that is both powerful and delicate all at once.