This coffee holds a special place in my heart. When I reflect upon some of the finest cups of coffee I've ever enjoyed, a few standout experiences come to mind, and one of them is the Panama Bambito Gesha. Let's delve into Gesha—it's not just any coffee varietal; it's, without a doubt, my absolute favorite, and I would wager that most seasoned roasters and coffee connoisseurs share this sentiment. Gesha has its roots in Ethiopia, as all Arabica coffee does, but more specifically, it hails from the wild Ethiopian varietal found in the Gori Gesha forest of West Ethiopia. In a twist of fate, around 1930, some visionary Panamanian coffee farmers decided to cultivate it. Approximately 60 years later, they were dominating every coffee competition with this varietal. The true turning point came in 2004 when it was first discovered and recognized at the Best of Panama Competition, specifically in Hacienda La Esmeralda's Jaramillo Especial lot. I still vividly recall the moment I tasted this coffee in 2004, and it left an indelible mark on my palate.
Fast forward to around 2018 when my path crossed with Priscilla Gonzalez at the Specialty Coffee Association's annual conference. It was in 2019 that I began purchasing her coffee. In 2021, her coffee achieved the pinnacle by securing first place in the Best of Panama competition, commanding the highest price ever paid for a first-place-winning washed lot—a staggering $1502 for a 100-pound lot.
What makes the washed-processed version of this coffee so exceptional? To me, it's a showcase of the coffee varietal's inherent flavors and the unique characteristics of its origin. The washed Bambito lots, in my opinion, offer the purest expression of the Gesha varietal—clean, floral, and unparalleled in its profile.
