This is a very unusual opportunity to have two different crop years of world famous Hacienda La Esmeralda Special coffee from Panama. In wine-speak, this is known as a vertical tasting, the ability to taste production from two different years. Esmeralda Special is one of the most sought after coffees in the world and has been the top winner of numerous competitions. We are offering:
12 ounces each:
- 2008 Hacienda Esmeralda Special
- 2009 Hacienda Esmeralda Special Mario Pascua
Both of these coffees were purchased by us in Esmeralda's private auctions. Both coffees were packed (unroasted), in Panama, in sealed vacuum packaging just after harvest and processing on the farm. The 2008 coffee is as vibrant as the day we received it and shows no sign of age. We roast these coffees to order as you order them and, during the holidays - the only time we will offer this package - you may need to wait a day or two for enough orders to amass for us to roast. Both coffees will be freshly roasted, gift packaged and shipped.
2008 was the first year in which the Peterson family, owners of Hacienda Esmeralda, opted to hold a private auction for their scarce coffee. No producer had ever done such a thing and professional coffee buyers worldwide wondered whether it would succeed. It didn't take long for everyone to realize their bold move was rewarded. Interest and revenue was tremendous and bidding was global. At the end of the day, all the coffee was sold and we had won three lots, just 900 pounds.
In 2009, production was cut in half throughout Panama's growing regions, as well in neighboring Costa Rica and in northern Colombia. However, quality was very high. The Esmeralda auction was repeated but this time the coffee was broken into seven distinct groupings totalling about 16,000 pounds, a tiny amount for any coffee. Each grouping represented a field where the coffee was grown. Three of the lots came from their most prestigious plot of land, the one called Mario. Mario is the field where Esmeralda's award winners have mostly derived. They offered pickings from Mario taken in February, March and April, respectively Mario Carnaval, Mario San Jose and Mario Pascua. We most liked the Mario Pascua, the late harvested coffee that was on the trees longest, Pascua the word for Easter in Spanish. This coffee had real depth and the great character for which Esmeralda is known.
What makes Esmeralda so great and cost so much? The Peterson's began experimenting with ancestral, heirloom seeds (cultivars) which derived from Ethiopia, seeking coffees that might grow well in the Boquete highlands of Panama. This experiment lead them to the cultivar known as Geisha. It was a lucky marriage - Geisha seed married with the microclimate, altitude and soil composition of Hacienda Esmeralda. Turns out Geisha is very finicky and different results are obtained if the elevation changes a bit up or down, or exposure to the sun, or soil. So, ideal conditions exist in just small patches of their land. Then, a string of first place victories. Best coffee in Panama for many years running, winner of the Rainforest Alliance competition, winner of the Specialty Coffee Association cupping, and so forth. Much demand, very little coffee. The rest, they say, is history.
Enjoy this extremely limited opportunity to taste and compare two 'vintages' of Hacienda Esmeralda Special this holiday season. As a gift it is truly unique.
This coffee is sold in whole bean only.
