Panama — Peterson Family Hacienda La Esmeralda El Velo Laurina (Anaerobic Washed / CRD)

Tastes Like — 🍬 Orange Candy • 🌸 White Flowers • 🍑 Nectarine

DETAILS

• Producer: Peterson Family
• Farm: El Velo — Hacienda La Esmeralda
• Region: Boquete, Chiriquí, Panama
• Varietal: Laurina
• Process: Anaerobic Washed / Climate Room Drying (CRD)
• Altitude: 1,850 MASL

INTRO

A rare and exceptional micro-lot from the El Velo farm within the mythical Hacienda La Esmeralda — one of the most celebrated addresses in all of specialty coffee. The Peterson family here turns their attention to Laurina, a precious and rarely encountered variety from the island of Réunion, processed through anaerobic washed fermentation and finished in a precisely controlled climate room. The result is a cup of dazzling clarity and remarkable finesse. In the cup: orange candy, white flowers, and juicy nectarine.

THE PRODUCER

Hacienda La Esmeralda needs little introduction. The Peterson family's farm in Boquete, Chiriquí, is widely regarded as one of the most important estates in the history of specialty coffee — the farm that brought Geisha to the world's attention at the 2005 Best of Panama competition and reset the ceiling for what coffee could achieve and command at auction. El Velo is one of La Esmeralda's distinct farm parcels, situated at 1,850 MASL in the cool, mist-laden highlands of Chiriquí, where exceptional elevation and a distinctive microclimate create the conditions for coffees of extraordinary complexity and refinement.

Laurina is a rare natural mutation of Bourbon, first documented on the island of Réunion, prized for its distinctive elongated bean shape and its naturally very low caffeine content — approximately half that of a conventional Arabica. Without the bitterness that caffeine contributes, Laurina possesses an innate sweetness and delicacy that makes it one of the most sought-after and intriguing varietals in the specialty world.

THE PROCESS

The Anaerobic Washed and Climate Room Drying process at El Velo involves:

🍒 Hand-picking — Cherries selectively harvested at peak ripeness 🔒 Anaerobic fermentation — Coffee fermented in sealed, oxygen-free conditions to develop complexity and aromatic depth 🔧 Depulping — Outer skin removed after anaerobic fermentation 💧 Washing — Thoroughly washed to remove all fermentation residue 🌡️ Climate Room Drying (CRD) — Dried in a precisely controlled climate room where temperature and humidity are carefully managed throughout

The Climate Room Drying is the defining step — rather than relying on ambient conditions, the CRD environment gives the Peterson family complete control over the drying process, eliminating variability and preserving the extraordinary aromatic clarity and delicate structure of the Laurina with a precision that open-air drying cannot match.

THE CUP

A dazzling and utterly refined micro-lot from one of specialty coffee's most iconic estates — orange candy brightness and juicy nectarine sweetness wrapped in an elegant white floral bouquet, with the innate, bitter-free sweetness that only Laurina can deliver. A rare opportunity to experience this exceptional variety at its absolute finest.

Flavour Notes

🍬 Orange Candy 🌸 White Flowers 🍑 Nectarine