Panama is More Than Geisha

To speak about Panama is almost inevitably to speak about Geisha. Few coffee varieties have shaped the identity of an origin so powerfully. Its floral character, remarkable clarity and record-breaking auction prices have placed Panama at the centre of the specialty coffee world. 

Just in 2025, a washed Geisha from Hacienda La Esmeralda sold for an extraordinary $30,204 per kilogram at the Best of Panama auction. 

But how much do we really know about the coffee people drink within Panama? 

During our journey through the country, we visited cafés connected to their own farms, as well as independent shops working directly with local producers. And while Geisha was present almost everywhere, it was rarely the coffee most people chose for their everyday cup. 

This made us wonder whether the international obsession with Geisha has overshadowed the other varieties growing beside it. Panama exports around 50,000 sixty-kilogram bags of coffee each year. However, there is currently no reliable public data showing exactly what percentage of those exports is Geisha. 

What is clear is that Geisha represents only one part of a much more diverse coffee landscape. 

Panama’s volcanic soils, high elevations and contrasting Pacific and Caribbean weather patterns create exceptional conditions for varieties such as Typica, Caturra, Pacamara, SL28, Bourbon and Pink Bourbon. 

Some of the most memorable coffees from our trip were not Geishas. 

We discovered Typicas with remarkable cleanliness, Caturras full of sweetness, complex Pacamaras and beautifully structured Pink Bourbons. They may not receive the same attention or reach the same auction prices, but they express the Panamanian terroir in their own distinctive way. 

We also noticed a contrast between the precision found at farms and specialty cafés and the more traditional preparation methods still common in everyday consumption. Which is not necessarily a question of right or wrong. It is just a reminder that coffee is both an agricultural product and a cultural habit. The coffee celebrated internationally is not always the same coffee enjoyed locally each morning. 

Geisha helped the world discover Panama. Perhaps now it is time to look beyond it. 

Because Panama is not defined by a single variety. It is defined by its microclimates, its producers, its biodiversity and its ability to create coffees that continually surprise us. Geisha may be the brightest star, but it is certainly not the whole sky.