Panama Lerida - Pacamara Natural

Lerida Estate, Boquete — 1,600 Masl, Natural-Processed Pacamara

This lot is grown on Lerida Estate in the Boquete highlands of Chiriquí Province, Panama, at 1,600 masl — a lower elevation on the estate than its flagship Geisha plantings, better suited to Pacamara's larger, heavier cherry and more vigorous growth habit. Boquete's volcanic soil, consistent cloud cover, and cool nights make it one of Central America's most decorated coffee-growing zones, and Lerida is one of its longest-running specialty estates.

Pacamara is a deliberately bred variety, a cross between Pacas — a compact, higher-yielding Bourbon mutation discovered in El Salvador — and Maragogype, a naturally occurring giant-bean mutation of Typica. Salvadoran researchers developed the cross specifically to combine Maragogype's exceptional bean size with Pacas's more manageable, higher-yielding plant structure, and the result is a variety that stands out on any farm growing it purely by the size of its beans.

For this lot, ripe Pacamara cherries are picked and dried whole on raised beds rather than pulped first, so the fruit ferments gently in place around the bean throughout the drying period. That extended fruit contact is what builds the caramel and strawberry sweetness here, while Pacamara's own genetics contribute the cooling mint character that shows up distinctly in this lot's finish — a trait some Pacamara lots carry regardless of process, but one natural processing tends to amplify alongside the fruit notes.

Caramel, Strawberry, and Cooling Mint

This cup opens with caramel sweetness, moves into ripe strawberry through the middle, and closes with a distinctive cooling mint note that lingers well past the last sip — an unusual combination that sets Pacamara apart from most other varieties. Body is full, a direct result of both the variety's large bean and the natural process, with acidity that's present but gentle rather than the bright, citrus-forward acidity typical of washed Panama coffee.

On the SCA flavor wheel, this cup spans caramel/brown-sugar, berry, and a minty note that falls closer to the herbal category than most coffee ever reaches — mint in coffee is genuinely uncommon, and it's one of the more recognizable markers of Pacamara specifically.

A super-light roast is what keeps the mint note intact; push the roast any darker and it fades behind roast-driven flavors well before the strawberry and caramel do. If you know Panama coffee mainly through Geisha's floral delicacy, this is a heavier, sweeter, and distinctly different expression of the same terroir.

Pour-Over or French Press

This lot's full body performs well in either a pour-over or full-immersion brew, unlike more delicate varieties that need a single specific method to show well.

Ratio: For pour-over, 1:16 by weight; for French press, go slightly stronger at 1:15.

Grind: Medium-fine for pour-over, coarse for French press.

Water temperature: 198–203°F (92–95°C).

Time: Pour-over around 2:45–3:00; French press a 4-minute steep before plunging.

French Press

Full immersion carries more of this lot's body and mint character through to the cup than a paper filter allows, which is why it's worth trying alongside pour-over rather than defaulting to one method.

Buy whole-bean and grind close to brewing — natural-processed Pacamara carries more oil and residual sugar in the bean than a washed lot, which makes it a little more prone to staling once ground and exposed to air.

Did You Know

• "Pacamara" is a portmanteau of its two parents' names. Salvadoran researchers created the variety in 1958 by crossing Pacas (a compact Bourbon mutation) with Maragogype (a giant-bean Typica mutation), specifically to combine Maragogype's exceptional bean size with a more manageable, higher-yielding plant.

• Pacamara beans are noticeably larger than standard Arabica. The variety's size traces directly back to Maragogype, sometimes called "elephant bean" coffee for how much bigger its cherries and beans run compared with ordinary Typica or Bourbon.

• A cooling mint note is one of Pacamara's most recognizable, if unusual, signatures. Genuine minty or herbal notes are rare in coffee generally, and Pacamara is one of the few varieties known to produce them consistently enough that cuppers use it as an identifying trait.

• Boquete's coffee fame rests on more than Geisha. While Geisha built Boquete's international reputation and record auction prices, estates in the region — including this lot's own Lerida Estate — have long grown other varieties like Pacamara alongside it, offering a very different cup from the same terroir.

What is Pacamara coffee?

Pacamara is a coffee variety bred in El Salvador in 1958 by crossing Pacas and Maragogype, prized for its unusually large bean and full body. This lot is a natural-processed Pacamara from Lerida Estate in Panama's Boquete region.

What does Pacamara coffee taste like?

This lot cups with caramel and strawberry sweetness and a distinctive cooling mint finish — a fuller, heavier profile than Panama's better-known Geisha, with body driven by both the variety's large bean and natural processing.

Why does this coffee taste like mint?

A cooling, minty note is a recognized signature of the Pacamara variety itself, appearing across many Pacamara lots regardless of process — natural processing here tends to amplify it alongside the fruit and caramel notes rather than create it.

Is Pacamara the same as Panama Geisha?

No. Geisha and Pacamara are different varieties entirely, with very different cup profiles — Geisha is floral and tea-like, while Pacamara, like this lot, is fuller-bodied with caramel, fruit, and often a minty edge.

Why is this coffee naturally processed?

Natural processing dries the whole cherry around the bean instead of pulping it first, letting fruit sugars work into the coffee during drying — that's what builds this lot's caramel and strawberry sweetness on top of Pacamara's own varietal character.

What roast level suits Pacamara best?

Super-light is used here specifically to protect the mint note, which fades behind roast-driven flavor well before a darker roast would cook away the strawberry and caramel sweetness.