PanamaTropic Coffee. The Coffee With The Family Tradition.

My family has been in the farming business for many generations, which is why I was lucky enough to grow up surrounded by coffee plants in my native land, Panama. With the desire to continue the ancestral tradition of my family, which filled my youth with such a unique and special flavor and aroma, I want to share with you the best beans that my country offers. Panamanian coffee is considered one of the most outstanding around the world, and it is no secret that it is sought after by roasters, buyers, and competitive baristas everywhere.

The Story

Gatu Highlands in Panama

From the high and fertile lands of the province of Veraguas, Panama, this very special coffee originates. The grains are extracted at Finca Gatú, a beautiful coffee farm located about 3,281 feet (1,000 meters) above sea level. The region reaches north to the Caribbean Sea, the Pacific Ocean in the south, the provinces of Cocle y Herrera to the east, and the provinces of Ngäbe-Buglé and Chiriquí to the west. Its geography and its humid, temperate climate make the region ideal for producing coffee, the type that you won’t be able to find anywhere else in the world but can be experienced in each flavor note from your very first sip.

Panama Tropic Coffee Plant

The Process of Making Our Coffee For You

Panama Tropic Coffee Flowers

This region, like other regions in the provinces of Chiriquí and Bocas del Toro, is inhabited by indigenous people from the Ngäbe-Buglé tribe, who are then employed for the cultivation, harvest, and hand selection of the best grains.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, most members of the Ngäbe-Buglé tribe have worked as subsistence farmers and agricultural workers for different types of crops. Over time, subsistence agriculture gave way to producing and exporting. Little by little, harvesting coffee beans became a major resource in the region. Thanks to these wonderful little beans, for many years, the Ngäbe-Buglé tribe has managed to delight specialty coffee fans all over the world.

Panama Tropic Green Coffee Beans

The unique flavor of Panamanian coffee is no accident; it is achieved through the handcrafted grain-harvesting process and subsequent treatment, which involves a very delicate set of stages. The coffee beans are handpicked from the plant, sorted, and dried onsite before being roasted in small batches. The drying phase is key. To work perfectly, the grains must be spread out in the sun. In addition, for the coffee drying to occur evenly, the grains must be turned in the usual way. During this step, human attention is essential.

Panama Tropic Coffee Beans
Drying Panama Tropic Coffee

The drying process can last up to a month since the moisture level of the grains after they have been extracted from the plant is usually very high. This is a stage that must be carefully controlled because poor timing can make the grain brittle, and when the nature of the grain is insufficient, the remaining moisture can give rise to fungi and bacteria, making the grain unusable.

After the drying stage, the roasting stage is carried out by applying a thermal treatment used to obtain an easily grindable bean that, once infused in water, produces coffee. It is this stage in which the coffee bean becomes true coffee.

For roasting, dry green coffee beans are placed in a machine that has a fixed chamber perforated at the base, through which hot pressurized air is injected, causing the beans to float and, in turn, roast. Temperature and timing are the two determining elements for obtaining softer, medium, or stronger-roasted coffee.

Roasting Panama Tropic Coffee

Our Coffee Specifications Sheet:

  • Type: Arabica
  • Varieties: Obatã Rojo
  • Coffee Quality Score: 85%
  • Processing: Natural
  • Roast: Medium or Dark
  • Region: Santa Fe, Veraguas, Panama
  • Growing Altitude: 2,953 feet / 900 meters above sea level
  • Cupping and Tasting: Clean*, sweet, balanced**, ripe red berries fruit flavor, intense fruity aroma
  • Storage conditions:

– Store in cool, dry place with adequate ventilation, in suitable bags and not exposed to light. 

– 64-77°F (18-25 °C) and 50-65 % r.h.

  • Shelf life: 1 Year

  *Clean – Flavorful, but without any pungent or unusual flavors.
**Balanced – A balanced coffee may be complex, but does not have any overwhelming flavor or aroma characteristics.