NEWS
12 beanscenemag.com.auNEWS
In 2018, Wilford Lamastus of Elida Estate
made Best of Panama (BoP) history when
he won in both washed and natural
Geisha categories and broke the coffee
quality competition’s record for its highest
scoring coffee.
Now, Elida Estate has done it again,
winning both categories and setting new
records at BoP 2019, which took place
from 22 to 25 May.
The Elida Geisha Green Tip Natural
ASD (anaerobic slow dry) scored 95.
out of 100 in the natural/special process
category, beating last year’s score of 93.
points. Its washed equivalent scored 95 in
the Geisha washed category, beating the
previous record of 94.66 points.
“It feels unbelievable, like a dream.
There was always this thought about
winning one category and doing well
in the other, because no-one had ever
won both categories in the same year,
and then we ended up doing it twice,”
Wilford says.
To reach that record-breaking score in
the natural category, Elida Estate processed
its coffee using the ASD method. Wilford
and his team fermented the coffee in
anaerobic tanks for five days, and then slow
dried it over a five-week period.
“Most coffees are dried within two to
three weeks. We made sure that the coffee
dried in a longer period of time while being
careful to ensure it will come out clean in
flavour,” Wilford says. “[Combined with
anaerobic fermentation, slow drying] a
coffee from an altitude lower than 1700
metres or a non-Geisha variety creates a
new flavour profile that changes the cup,
creating intense liqueur and winey notes,
with some cacao nib notes. But in high-altitude coffees, there is not much change.
There is just an added feel of elegant subtle
red wine notes, or a cherry liqueur feel that
helps add complexity to the coffee without
losing the flavours from the variety. In
other words, it remains a clean Geisha.”
Will Young, Founder of Campos Coffee,
was Head Judge of the BoP for the second
year in a row. He says the high-scoring
coffees from the panel of 21 internationaljudges is proof that Panama has some of the
best producers in the world.
“Judging by this year’s high-scoring
results, Panama has currently the best
coffee in the world. It’s like the Bordeaux
region in France, a region that has an
incredible reputation for producing the
greatest wine in the world. That’s what
Panama, and in particular the Baru volcano
region, is for coffee. It’s a country that
keeps innovating and drawing the best out
of its coffee. The value is also inherent in its
terroir and microclimates.”
The BoP competition has been running
since 1998, however, the overall winning
award recognising the producer with
the most points across all categories, the
Panama Cup, has been a title for only thepast six years. It was awarded to Hacienda
La Esmeralda, which beat the Lamastus
family by just four or five points.
“To see Daniel, Rachel, Price, and
Susan [Hacienda La Esmeralda] on stage
to accept the winning trophy was an
incredible moment, 15 years after they
introduced the world to the Geisha varietal.
There couldn’t have been a better result for
the Petersons, who have now won the BoPtwice, along with the Lamastus family, and
Kotawa Estate,” Will says.
Wilford says his family’s consecutive
Geisha category wins demonstrate the
overall quality of Panama coffee.
“In the past years, several Panama
Geisha farms performed exceptionally,
and placed high in BoP and BoP auctions,
but Hacienda La Esmeralda owned
the records and the majority of the first
places,” Wilford says.
“In the general public’s eye, it was
about Esmeralda Geisha more than
Panama Geisha, and I feel that by us
winning back to back, it helps the general
public understand that is not only
about Esmeralda’s superb quality, but
Panama’s quality as a whole.”ELIDA ESTATE REPEATS BEST OF PANAMA VICTORY
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NEWS
In 2018, Wilford Lamastus of Elida Estate
made Best of Panama (BoP) history when
he won in both washed and natural
Geisha categories and broke the coffee
quality competition’s record for its highest
scoring coffee.
Now, Elida Estate has done it again,
winning both categories and setting new
records at BoP 2019, which took place
from 22 to 25 May.
The Elida Geisha Green Tip Natural
ASD (anaerobic slow dry) scored 95.
out of 100 in the natural/special process
category, beating last year’s score of 93.
points. Its washed equivalent scored 95 in
the Geisha washed category, beating the
previous record of 94.66 points.
“It feels unbelievable, like a dream.
There was always this thought about
winning one category and doing well
in the other, because no-one had ever
won both categories in the same year,
and then we ended up doing it twice,”
Wilford says.
To reach that record-breaking score in
the natural category, Elida Estate processed
its coffee using the ASD method. Wilford
and his team fermented the coffee in
anaerobic tanks for five days, and then slow
dried it over a five-week period.
“Most coffees are dried within two to
three weeks. We made sure that the coffee
dried in a longer period of time while being
careful to ensure it will come out clean in
flavour,” Wilford says. “[Combined with
anaerobic fermentation, slow drying] a
coffee from an altitude lower than 1700
metres or a non-Geisha variety creates a
new flavour profile that changes the cup,
creating intense liqueur and winey notes,
with some cacao nib notes. But in high-
altitude coffees, there is not much change.
There is just an added feel of elegant subtle
red wine notes, or a cherry liqueur feel that
helps add complexity to the coffee without
losing the flavours from the variety. In
other words, it remains a clean Geisha.”
Will Young, Founder of Campos Coffee,
was Head Judge of the BoP for the second
year in a row. He says the high-scoring
coffees from the panel of 21 internationaljudges is proof that Panama has some of the
best producers in the world.
“Judging by this year’s high-scoring
results, Panama has currently the best
coffee in the world. It’s like the Bordeaux
region in France, a region that has an
incredible reputation for producing the
greatest wine in the world. That’s what
Panama, and in particular the Baru volcano
region, is for coffee. It’s a country that
keeps innovating and drawing the best out
of its coffee. The value is also inherent in its
terroir and microclimates.”
The BoP competition has been running
since 1998, however, the overall winning
award recognising the producer with
the most points across all categories, the
Panama Cup, has been a title for only thepast six years. It was awarded to Hacienda
La Esmeralda, which beat the Lamastus
family by just four or five points.
“To see Daniel, Rachel, Price, and
Susan [Hacienda La Esmeralda] on stage
to accept the winning trophy was an
incredible moment, 15 years after they
introduced the world to the Geisha varietal.
There couldn’t have been a better result for
the Petersons, who have now won the BoPtwice, along with the Lamastus family, and
Kotawa Estate,” Will says.
Wilford says his family’s consecutive
Geisha category wins demonstrate the
overall quality of Panama coffee.
“In the past years, several Panama
Geisha farms performed exceptionally,
and placed high in BoP and BoP auctions,
but Hacienda La Esmeralda owned
the records and the majority of the first
places,” Wilford says.
“In the general public’s eye, it was
about Esmeralda Geisha more than
Panama Geisha, and I feel that by us
winning back to back, it helps the general
public understand that is not only
about Esmeralda’s superb quality, but
Panama’s quality as a whole.”ELIDA ESTATE REPEATS BEST OF PANAMA VICTORY
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