Panama — Amoruso Family Lérida Esplendorosa Estate Gesha (Honey)

DETAILS

• Producer: Maria Antonella Amoruso
• Farm: Esplendorosa Estate (Lérida group), Jaramillo
• Region: Boquete, Chiriquí, Panama
• Varietal: Gesha
• Process: Honey
• Altitude: 1,600–2,050 MASL
• Size: 100g

INTRO

From the Esplendorosa Estate in Jaramillo — one of five farms in the Lérida group — this honey-processed Gesha offers a more textured and rounded expression of the variety compared to a classic washed lot. The partial retention of the fruit mucilage during drying adds a layer of sweetness and body whilst preserving the varietal's signature florality and aromatic complexity. The result is a cup that bridges Gesha's delicate purity and the gentle sweetness of honey processing in elegant balance.

THE PRODUCER

Maria Antonella Amoruso is at the helm of the five-plantation Lérida Coffee enterprise in Boquete, Panama, which spans the flagship Finca Lérida in Alto Quiel alongside estates Michella and Flora in Volcancito, and Amelia and Esplendorosa in Jaramillo. Since taking stewardship of this 100-year-old legacy, Maria has steered Lérida towards global recognition as a consistent Best of Panama producer, achieving top-ten placements in both the Gesha Washed and Natural categories across multiple years.

The Lérida estate dates back over 100 years and was originally established in Alto Quiel. The flagship farm operates a century-old central wet mill, which still uses the original 'siphon' sorting device — a gravity-fed flotation tool invented by the estate's Norwegian founder Tolleff Bache Mönniche in the 1920s. The 100-hectare flagship has 70 hectares planted with Gesha alongside a diversity of varieties including Orange Bourbon, SL28, SL34, Typica, and Catuai, with 30 hectares of protected forest safeguarding natural habitats and biodiversity.

THE PROCESS

The Honey process at Esplendorosa Estate involves:

• 🍒 Selective Harvest — Ripe cherries selectively hand-picked
• ✅ Flotation Sorting — Cherries floated and sorted for ripeness
• 🔧 Depulping — Skin removed whilst retaining mucilage layer
• ☀️ Drying with Mucilage — Coffee dried on patios and raised beds with mucilage intact, raked frequently for even drying

The retention of partial mucilage during drying imparts a natural sweetness and textural richness to the cup, whilst the high altitude of Jaramillo and careful management ensures the Gesha's floral character remains vivid and expressive.

THE CUP

An extraordinarily perfumed and delicate honey Gesha, opening with a vivid burst of orange blossom and rose that immediately signals the quality of the terroir. Yuzu brings a bright, exotic citrus lift — zesty and aromatic without sharpness — whilst honeydew melon softens the palate with a gentle, cooling sweetness. The finish is long, floral, and deeply refined.

Flavour Notes

• 🌸 Orange Blossom
• 🍋 Yuzu
• 🍈 Honeydew
• 🌹 Rose