Located in the Volcan Baru area of Panama between two national forest parks, the award-winning Bambito Estate is crossed by two mountain ridges from East to West. These ridges protect the coffee trees from the summer north winds. The north part of the estate has less solar exposure, more shade and humidity and consistently produces top quality coffee. The slightly cooler temperatures combined with the growing elevation leads to coffee cherries that mature slowly, which increases density. This specific lot is comprised of Caturra and Catuai varieties and is grown at an elevation that ranges between 1650 and 1800 meters above sea level. Bambito Estate is a multi-generational project, as notable for its placement in Best of Panama competitions as it is for its dedication to the workers the family employs, the people who live nearby, and the environment in which the farm is situated.

Country of Origin: Panama

Region: Volcan Baru

Producer Type: Single Estate

Farm Name: Bambito Estate

Processing: Washed

Processing Description: Washed and sun dried on patios

Growing Altitude: 1650 -1800 MASL

Plant Species: Arabica

Varietal: Catuai, Caturra

History of Coffee in Panama  

There are some indications that green coffee first arrived in Panama as early as 1742, but the first attempts at commercial cultivation didn’t occur until the 1780’s. Planting at low altitudes around the port city of Portobelo, these efforts failed. It would be another 100 years, when coffee was planted in the highlands around the Volcano “Baru,” before commercial cultivation of Panama coffee was successful; however, nearly all coffee grown in Panama was used for internal consumption and the country was better known for exporting tea. Panamanians drank more coffee than they grew and had to import coffee to meet demand until the 1940’s. Exports grew slowly over the years, peaking in 1996 at 181,000 bags.  Although there have been a few spikes since then, exports have settled down around 50,000 bags for the last 10 years as producers shifted their focus from volume to quality. More than 50% of coffee production is still consumed domestically. 

Growing Coffee in Panama  

Panama coffee grows in the west, near the border with Costa Rica in the highlands of Chiriqui, which means “Valley of the Moon.” Most coffee grows in two areas near the volcano Buru: Boquete and Volcan-Candela above 1,500 masl. Many coffee estates in Panama are 30-50 hectares and many coffee families are descendant of American and European immigrants, but there are indigenous farmers and farms as small as a few hectares. Most Panama coffee is washed and sun or machine dried. Panama grows Typica, Caturra, Catuai, Bourbon,  San Ramon, Pache,  Mundo Novo and, of course Geisha.