Although not as uncommon as it once was, it is still unusual to find coffee farms and mills wholly owned and operated by women like Finca Hortigal. Eira Maria Suarez and her daughters farm 34 acres, all above 1400 meters and grown under native shade trees. Located in the highlands of Boquete and named after one of the highest peaks in Panama, the nearby Horqueta mountain, the Hortigal estate has been family owned for over 100 years. The 100% Typica harvest is fully washed and drying begins on patios and is completed with mechanical dryers.

Country of Origin:             Panama

Coffee Grade:                    SHB

Plant Species:                    Arabica

Processing:                        Washed

Variety:                               Typica

Region:                               Boquete

Farm Name:                       Finca Hortigal

Growing Altitude:             1400-1600 MASL

Soil:                                    Volcanic

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.