Artisan Roast: Panama, Finca Damarli, Natural

The coffee of Northern Panama is an evocative combination of very high quality, unique landscapes and environmental sustainability. The towering active Volcán Barú forms the basis for this to happen and coffee thrives symbiotically with nature on the lower slopes of the mountains national park. Coffee farms take this symbiosis importantly and commitments ranging from the growing a diverse range of cultivars, implementing solar power generation, reducing water use are all common examples of their sustainable approach.

Volcán Barú is so vast that the coffee farms have very different micro-climates depending on which slopes they are on. Finca Damarli, on the Eastern side of the mountain, has a drier climate through the harvest season making it ideal for natural processing. With more consistent sun the harvested coffee can be carefully managed through the drying over three to four weeks.

Slower and more even drying helps develop sweet, delicious coffees and this very true of this classic natural Bourbon from Damarli. The outcome is a delicious and moreish coffee with subtlety and refinement, a classic representation of the everlasting appeal of the Bourbon variety. The main flavours of mandarin orange, roasted hazelnut and flame raisins work effortlessly with a smooth and silky sweetness. The acidity is medium in intensity and enhances the mandarin orange elements of the coffee.

This all makes for a versatile coffee for brewing and whether you drink filter, French Press or espresso, Damarli is a delicious coffee. Filter leans to the orange citrus and chocolate like aspects of the coffee while aeropress or French press will bring out dried fruit and hints of stewed berry fruit.