Meet the farm that swept 2025's Best of Panama. Owned and operated by the Peterson Family, Hacienda La Esmeralda continues to raise the bar for the whole coffee world with their outstanding achievements with the Gesha variety.
Produced by this very farm, the Gesha variety lot that we’re now roasting is a natural-processed delicacy that offers notes of papaya, vanilla, banana, and hibiscus.
Sold as 6oz bags of whole bean coffee; limit 3 per customer. Roasts an ships on 9/3.
Flavor Profile
Origin
Boquete, Panama
Tasting Notes
Buttery and sweet with flavors of Papaya, vanilla, banana, and hibiscus.
Roast Level
LightMed LtMedMed DarkDark
Origin Story
Hacienda La Esmeralda
We are excited to announce that Equator has secured a rare Gesha variety lot from Panama’s renowned Hacienda La Esmeralda. This exceptional coffee was purchased directly from the Peterson family, who have owned Hacienda La Esmeralda since 1967. The family’s farms are legendary for producing the Gesha (or Geisha) variety—widely regarded as one of the finest coffees in the world.
The farm’s fame began with a test in 2002 to isolate Gesha cherries from other varieties. This led to the rediscovery of the exceptional cup quality in this low-yielding cultivar. The coffee community took notice, and Esmeralda Gesha lots went on to receive incredibly high scores in the Best of Panama competitions, along with astonishingly high bids at related auctions. The tradition of excellence continues to this day, and we are thrilled to revisit the outstanding coffee from this extraordinary farm.
Altitude
5,577 feet
Variety
Gesha
Processing
Natural
Why We Love This Coffee
The Peterson family had an awe-inspiring performance at the Best of Panama this summer: Our longtime partners at Hacienda La Esmeralda scored a “Triple Crown Win,” sweeping every major category, taking home the Panama Cup, and setting world records in score for Gesha Washed and Gesha Natural in the process!
The Gesha variety was first discovered in the coffee forests of Ethiopia in the 1930s. From there, it was sent to the Lyamungu research station in Tanzania before making its way to Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE) in Central America in the 1950s. In the 1960s, CATIE introduced it to Panama after recognizing its resistance to Roya, or coffee leaf rust. However, due to its brittle branches, it wasn’t widely adopted by farmers. The variety gained widespread attention in 2004 when the Peterson family of Boquete, Panama, rediscovered it on their farm, Hacienda La Esmeralda.
This particular lot was processed using the natural, or dry, method—which doesn't require fresh water. After harvesting, whole coffee cherries are dried intact on the beans, imparting distinct fruity notes to the final cup. We've also sourced a fully-washed lot of the same coffee, giving customers an opportunity to explore how processing influences flavor.
Sustainably Sourced
Good Coffee, Better Planet
We treasure our relationships in the global coffee community and invest in projects at origin to support our partners in their commitment to environmental sustainability and social welfare. We also invest in reducing our day-to-day impact, through initiatives like energy-efficient Loring Smart Roasters to reduce carbon emissions per batch by 80%.
As a certified B Corporation, we are a leader in sustainable practices that impact people and the planet. This third-party certification requires us to demonstrate transparency and accountability throughout our supply chain and quantify the impact our business creates for our employees, the community, and the environment. We are proud to be part of this community working together toward one unifying goal: using business as a force for good.