Panama Don Julian Pacamara Natural

New crop Panama Finca Don Julian Pacamara Natural arrived several weeks ago by airfreight and quantity, as usual, is very limited. This year had ideal growing conditions and all of the coffee crops in Panama were healthy and sizeable. Don Julian's entire production of Pacamara Natural is extremely small but we have a supply through our longstanding Direct Trade relationship and friendship with the producer.

This Panama Pacamara is one of our all time favorites. We have visited this incredible farm multiple times, and on arrival it becomes clear that the extraordinary taste of the coffee is the direct result of the characteristics of the farm. At first perusal you might assume that you were walking through a nature preserve, where coffee trees are surrounded by other plants and enormous shade trees tower above. It is no accident that the farm feels this way; the owner, Mrs. Burneskis, thinks the farm should be left in as natural a state as possible. She has a level of respect and connectivity for the coffee plants that really comes to light when you walk through the sprawling greenery. Finca Don Julian is located about 1600 meters above sea level, and grows their coffee in rich, black volcanic soil. The growing area is in a protected tropical rain forest which gives the coffee a unique flavor, great acidity and bold body.

Pacamara is a hybrid of two coffee varietals: Pacas, which is a Bourbon mutation, and Maragogipe, which is a Typica mutation. It was developed in El Salvador in the mid-twentieth century. The mixture at its best produces very deep, brothy flavors that always seem reminiscent of dark fruit like plums, raisins and prunes. It is a natural processed coffee, meaning that the coffee cherry, once harvested, is dried on raised beds without further processing. The drying process can take several weeks, during which time the cherries must be turned over multiple times per day to promote even drying and avoid mildew. When complete, and residual moisture is roughly 11%, the outer layers of the now dried cherry are milled down to the coffee beans that make up the cherry's seeds. Because the fruit mucilage was allowed to dry on and penetrate to the coffee beans, the final beverage has fruity flavors which can be of varying intensity depending upon a producer's drying technique. Here they are medium to intense, adding to the varieties tendency toward dark, jammy flavors.

• Producer:  Heakyung Kang Burneskis aka Annie Burneskis
  
• Province: Chiriqui
• District: Boquete
• Altitude: 1600 meters above sea level
• Coffee variety: Pacamara
• Processing: Classic Natural
• Farm: Finca Don Julian

We have maintained a long relationship with the producer and we are fortunate to have access to this coffee that is produced in such small amounts. The price is just slightly more than last year, but it should be noted that some coffees from the Panama Highlands are breaking auction price records each year, notably Geisha coffees but also Pacamaras and new varieties which attract buyers from around the globe. Another record breaking auction just concluded with stratospheric prices.  This is a perennial favorite at Willoughby's whenever we can secure it.