Panama – Cascara Elida Estate

PRODUCER:

The Lamastus family owns 3 farms around Boquete: El Burro Estate, Luito Geisha Estates and Elida Estate. All of them are located at high altitudes, in a microclimate with very low temperatures, on the edge of one of the highest volcanoes in Central America, the Bar volcano. Elida Estate is even the highest coffee farm in Panama, reaching up to 2,500 m.a.s.l., and is surrounded by the Volcan Baru National Park – an original virgin rainforest.

PROCESSING:

At the Elida Estate plant, they process coffee with the greatest care using the Natural, Washed and Honey methods. The processed coffee is carefully sorted and then rests in bags on wooden racks for 60 to 100 days (depending on the process). Another manual sorting follows and then the coffee is ready for export.

VARIETY:

The name Catuai is said to mean “very good” in the indigenous Tupi-Guarani language. It is a hybrid of two varieties – Caturra and Mundo Novo. Low growth combined with high yield is the reason why it is so popular among farmers. It was originally found in Brazil, from where it spread throughout Latin America in the 1970s. Unfortunately, like many other coffee plants, Catuaí is also very susceptible to various diseases.