Caffe Pronto Coffee Roastery
Panama Esmeralda Special
| Roaster Location: | Annapolis, Maryland |
| Coffee Origin: | Finca Esmeralda, Boquete growing district, western Panama |
| Roast Level: | Medium-Dark |
| Agtron: | 42/53 |
| Review Date: | October 2005 |
| Aroma: | 9 |
| Acidity: | 8 |
| Body: | 8 |
| Flavor: | 8 |
| Aftertaste: | 8 |
Blind Assessment: High-toned, complex aroma: lemon, flowers, sweet herbs, perhaps a cedar-toned, semi-sweet chocolate. Smoothes and quiets in the cup, with the semi-sweet chocolate, lemon and herb notes dominating. Slight but pleasing astringency in the finish.
Notes: The 2004 version of this exceptional coffee attracted a score of 95.6 from a jury of international coffee cuppers at the Best of Panama 2004 Cupping Event, then, at the subsequent auction, set what would appear to be a world record price for a green coffee - $21.00 per pound - paid by a consortium of American specialty roasters. The 2005 crop also topped the Panama competition, and like the record-setting lot from the previous year, was produced from trees of the Geisha variety of arabica, a variety with Ethiopian parentage, by Finca Esmeralda owners Price and Daniel Peterson. Caffe Pronto is a small, classic artisan roasting company focusing on quality and service. Visit
Who Should Drink It: Those who want a slightly darker-roasted, rounder version of the now celebrated Esmeralda Especial.
This review originally appeared in the October, 2005 tasting report: Not for Beginners: Prize-Winning Latin American Coffees 2005
