Geisha crowned Best of Panama 2009

PANAMA. The unique taste and aroma of the Geisha coffee managed to conquer once again the tastes of the most demanding coffee connoisseurs, in the thirteenth versión of the Best Of Panama coffee tasting competition.

The coffee samples presented by the Peterson’s family Hacienda La Esmeralda, which decided to end its hiatus from the competition and participate this year once again, won first place, and consolidated its leadership in the production of the variety.

Second place went to Finca Carleida, owned by Carlos Santiago, who also entered a Geisha coffee in the competition, while the Pacamara variety by the Gea Burnesky farm owned b Gonzalo Rojas won third place.

Rojas explained this variety was brought to Panama from El Salvador.

A mixture of Caturra and Typica from the Finca de Paso Ancho, owned by the Aguilera Franceshi family, won fourth place, while fifth place went to Lamastus Family Estates, which participated with a Catuai sample.

Ramon Garcia de Paredes’ Café Ole S.A. won sixth place, also with a Geisha; Ricardo Koyner’s Caturra sample won seventh; and Lerida Estate Coffee came in eighth.

Efrain and Benjamin Osorio, who participated for the second time in the competition, made it to ninth place with a Catuai coffee.

Lucrecia de Alvarado, from Callejon Estate, came in tenth with a sample made up of 85 percent Typica and 15 percent Caturra.

This year, 26 coffee samples participated in the competition, which were evaluated by international judges from the US Norway and Costa Rica.