In the highlands of Boquete, Panama, Hacienda La Esmeralda has built a legacy that reaches far beyond its mountain farms. Owned by the Peterson family since 1967, the estate brings together generations of care, a spirit of discovery, and a relentless pursuit of exceptional coffee.
Its defining moment came in 2004. While separating coffees from different areas of their Jaramillo farm, the Petersons uncovered something extraordinary: a high-altitude Geisha with remarkable clarity, vibrant character, and captivating aromatics. That coffee went on to win the Best of Panama competition and set a record auction price, bringing international attention to the estate and helping transform the world’s appreciation of Geisha.
Behind that breakthrough was a willingness to look closer. By tasting individual lots separately, the family revealed qualities that had previously gone unnoticed—a discovery that would become central to La Esmeralda’s approach. Each growing area offers its own expression, shaped by altitude and microclimate, and each deserves the attention needed to reveal its potential.
Today, that same philosophy guides the estate’s work. Meticulous lot separation, carefully refined processing, and close attention to fermentation and drying allow the team to explore the character of every harvest. Alongside its celebrated Geisha production, the family continues to invest in the future, studying hundreds of coffee accessions at its high-altitude El Velo farm.
Choosing Hacienda La Esmeralda means experiencing coffee from a producer that helped set a new standard for specialty coffee. It is an invitation to discover the care, curiosity, and craftsmanship behind one of Panama’s most celebrated estates—a remarkable origin with a story in every cup.
JARAMILLO NATURAL
Private Collection Jaramillo Natural is a mix of high-performing Geisha natural microlots from Hacienda La Esmeralda’s Jaramillo Farm. Each microlot was dried at Hacienda La Esmeralda’s mill in Palmira. These selected microlots were evaluated through multiple cupping sessions to ensure optimal sensory quality and profile consistency. Private Collection Jaramillo Natural is a clean and fruity Geisha. It has notes of white tea, raspberry and cherry.
