Panama Premium Boquete – Mama Cata Estate – Geisha Washed “Toña”

Description

Very seldom do we see coffees this special but boy, what a price tag to follow. All in all, there are worse ways to spend your money than on a super unique crazy high rated pound of coffee. Here at Burman Coffee, we are always looking for a deal, even on coffees this special.

Mama Cata is a very top notch award winning farm that very seldom makes it to the US. Located in some of the best growing territory in Panama, Jose’s highest elevation and most renowned farm (he owns Garrido Estate as well as some other smaller fields).  Some of the biggest names in Panama coffee are also located in this prime territory, Hacienda Esmeralda, Elida Estate and La Jones are all his neighbors.  Since his coffee is mostly obtained by foreign markets, many in the US have not heard the name Mama Cata before unless they are watching the coffee competitions.

Founded in 1911, one of the original premium Panama farms, currently owned by Jose David Garrido Perez (who also owns Garrido, and just happens to be decent friends with our Panamanian farmer buddy, Keith Pech).

Tona is the highest elevation field mostly planted with Geisha, the Geisha strain just loves high altitude, if planted lower it is much less distinctive. Not only is this the highest elevation field but this is the best chop of the Geisha pick, a very exotic and remarkable cup.

Although a washed processed coffee, one will see some fruitier aspects to this cup. After picking it had an aging process before getting run through the wet-mill.

Tasting Notes: This cup stands out even among a table full of the worlds best coffees. Lighter roasts are where this cup is best served, blasty, yet clean acidity, very sweet and floral, a bit of jasmine especially in the aromatics with clearly noticeable and very clean stone fruit tones balanced with a bit of tea like spice. Really an amazing soft and refined fruit tone for a washed processed coffee. Wonderful how the cup breaks what most think of washed processed coffees. With those Geisha floral and spice notes popping right out even at light roast points, a cup you Geisha fans will not want to miss. If you are used to washed processed Geisha, keep in mind this coffee tastes almost like a super clean rich honey processed coffee, it is not dark toned and loaded with some bergamot like many washed Geishas.

Roasting Notes: Pretty easy to roast but you definitely want to avoid extreme roasts. Nice big beaned, a bit chaff heavy, pretty even roasting. If you shoot light, careful to make sure everything gets through first crack. All coffees if you drink them before 1st crack will not be so tasty. Coffee darkens up quickly which can be a little deceptive, keep an eye out for expansion in size to mark first crack. Lighter roasts will still have some splotchy spots, as the splotchy spots disappear you are pushing closer to a medium/strong medium roast.