Gesha
Washed
Hacienda La Esmeralda, Lot Trapiche 4WB

Tastes Like: Jasmine, White Peach, Berries

Origin: Cañas Verdes, Hacienda La Esmeralda, Chiriqui, Panama

Variety: Gesha

Producer: Rachel Peterson

Elevation: 1,600 masl

Process: Washed

Abstract / Cup Profile 

We selected this lot at Hacienda La Esmeralda in March of 2026. It's cup profile stood out to us because of its jasmine forward aromatics, delicate white peach sweetness, and lightly berry-like acidity.

Farm / Producer 

Hacienda La Esmeralda is the Peterson family’s estate in the Boquete highlands of Chiriquí, Panama, and is closely tied to the modern history of Panamanian Gesha. The Trapiche lot is located within the estate’s Cañas Verdes farm, on the slopes of Volcán Barú. Cañas Verdes region has a distinct dry season while retaining cool air, and the farm has become an important part of Esmeralda’s Gesha production. This lot is settled at 1,600 meters above sea level and was processed at Hacienda La Esmeralda’s mill in Palmira after harvest.

Esmeralda’s significance comes not only from the discovery and separation of high-altitude Gesha lots in the early 2000s, but also from the estate’s continued emphasis on lot separation, harvesting precision, and controlled processing. The farm has a long Best of Panama record, including Geisha Washed category wins in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2025, along with Panama Cup wins in 2017, 2019, and 2025. This Trapiche 4WB lot is not being presented here as a Best of Panama competition lot, but that history gives useful context for the Peterson family’s approach to microlot production and quality control.

Variety

Gesha is an Arabica variety strongly associated with high-altitude quality potential, aromatic clarity, and delicate floral expression. In Panama, it is especially known for jasmine-like aromatics, refined acidity, and fruit profiles that can move between citrus, stone fruit, tea-like structure, and berries. In this Trapiche 4WB lot, those tendencies show through jasmine, white peach, and berry-toned fruit in a clean washed presentation.

Processing

This lot is washed. After harvest, the cherries were taken to Hacienda La Esmeralda’s mill in Palmira, where they were depulped and fermented for 48 hours before drying. The coffee was then slow dried on raised beds for 19 days, a drying approach that supports even moisture reduction and helps preserve clarity in the finished cup.

For this coffee, the washed process keeps the profile focused on the Gesha’s aromatics and florals while still allowing for some fruit forward nuances.