About This Coffee
Bonita Springs Estate is owned and operated by the Miro and Olmedo families. Together, the two families have owned the estate since 1930. In 2017, the families made the decision to focus on specialty processing and invest in their own wet mill to add value at the farm level. The high-quality specialty coffees that they now produce are exported to international buyers.
Another way they’re focusing on specialty coffee is by growing unique varieties, like the SL28 in this lot.
Cultivation
Coffee trees are shaded by citrus trees. Citrus also provides another income stream for the families.
Alto Lino is one of the best micro-regions for producing coffee in Boquete. This distinction is made even more special when you realize that the list of specialty coffee-growing regions in Panama is a short one. Along with Volcan and Renacimiento, Boquete one of the three premier growing regions for coffee in Panama. High altitudes, good rainfall, fertile soil and ideal temperatures are just some of the conditions that make this region so special.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
Cherry is selectively picked and ripe, red cherry is laid on raised beds to dry. Cherry is raked frequently to ensure even drying.
It is evident in the cup quality that the Olmedo family places the utmost care into processing their coffee. This coffee in this lot was processing using traditional Natural processing techniques. They call the processing method he used ‘winey’ process in order to differentiate their small-scale processing from the larger-scale Natural processing that is common throughout Brazil.
About SL28 & SL34
SL28 and SL34 were just two of the cultivars released by Scott Agricultural Laboratories (SAL) during the height of SAL’s research in Kenya in the 1930s and 1940s. They soon became the cultivars of choice for most growers due to their deep root structure that allows them to maximize scarce water resources and flourish even without irrigation. SL varieties also had higher yields than the French Bourbon rootstock that they replaced and were known to be somewhat more disease resistant.
While SL varieties are still highly sought after today, they’ve become less widely cultivated in Kenya due to their relatively low resistance to coffee leaf rust (CLR). Compared to more recent varieties, SL varieties are more susceptible to diseases and pests and require very specific altitudes and climates to flourish. However, that hasn’t stopped specialty-focused farmers, who, inspired by the flavors and popularity of SL varieties, have have spread the cultivation of SL varieties worldwide.
Coffee in Panama
Though small in coffee production, Panama is a mighty player in coffee quality. In particular, Panama is famous for producing Geisha variety lots that have fetched prices exceeding $800 per pound. Today, its renown as a producer of rare and sought-after varieties positions Panama as a contender for a new kind of ‘coffee-tourism’ that has the potential to change the way we produce, purchase, consume and talk about specialty coffee on a global scale.
The high value of Geisha has brought out both the best and worst in the industry. For established producers who receive excellent prices for their Geisha and other lots, the high prices they receive have often been reinvested in their communities and in renovating their farms to be as environmentally sustainable as possible. Unfortunately, the lure of Geisha’s high value has led some people bypass traditional land purchasing agreements and illegally deforest areas of national parks to get the best location for new (and illicit) Geisha farms.
Even as the number of producers those receiving high prices for their Geisha remains relatively low, the blossoming coffee industry in Panama has demonstrated potential to raise incomes for a wider spectrum of producers and coffee workers.