On June 7th, 2025, something seismic happened in the tiny, lush highlands of Panama. The Best of Panama (BoP) competition awards crowned its champions, and one legendary name cleaned up and rewrote the rulebook at the same time. Hacienda La Esmeralda, a family-run farm, didn’t just take home trophies but they also scored two of the highest awarded coffees ever for the competition so far: a near-perfect 98 points for their Washed Geisha and a mind-blowing 97 points for their Natural Geisha.
What Is the Best of Panama & Why Should You Care?
Panama is now known for it's excellent coffee producing climate as well as the world-renown Geisha variety. The BoP is where the local producers get see how their coffee stacks up for the glory and recognition of their hard work. Starting back in 1996, it’s Panama’s premier platform where local farmers showcase their absolute best beans.
Here’s why it matters:
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For Panama: This small country punches WAY above its weight in regards to the coffee it produces. The BoP put Panama, especially its unique microclimates, on the global gourmet map where previously, it was entirely overlooked. Farms here grow beans kissed by mountain mist and volcanic soil, creating flavours you won’t find anywhere else.
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For Coffee Everywhere: BoP sets trends. When a coffee wins here, the world notices, prices soar, tastes evolve, and farmers worldwide get inspired. It’s a beacon for quality, pushing the whole industry forward.
How Judging Works
This isn’t some casual cupping session. It’s a blind, ultra-strict showdown with highly qualified judges / Q-graders making the calls:
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Coffees are coded anonymously.
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22 international judges cup over days, slurping each sample from five identical cups per table.
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They hunt for clarity, complexity, sweetness and terroir; rating each coffee out of a total possible 100 points.
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Every step is audited. This is as fair and as nerve-wracking as it gets.
Meet the Revolutionaries: Hacienda La Esmeralda
The Peterson Family
Nestled in Panama’s Boquete hills, this family farm is royalty in coffee circles. Why? Two words: Geisha coffee.
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Backstory: In 1996, Rachel Peterson and her family bought a neglected farm. Her Father, a biologist noticed one special plant thriving while others struggled with fungal disease during the wet season. That was Geisha, an heirloom variety originating from Ethiopia.
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The 2004 Boom: After the family put their efforts into isolation and cultivation of this Geisha variety, they entered it in BoP… and shocked everyone by selling it for $21 per pound (insane back then at around 10 times the standard price). It tasted like jasmine and tangerines, nothing like “normal” coffee. Overnight, Geisha became legendary.
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Clean + Terroir-First: While others chase funky fermentations, Hacienda La Esmeralda focuses on pure, “clean” processing. They use climate-controlled drying to let their high-altitude soil speak clearly. The naturally occurring flavours of the variety include jasmine, bergamot and stone fruit. No additives, no tricks. Just the land, the plant, and obsessive care.
Why 98 Points Changes Everything
Scoring near-perfect in coffee is like breaking the sound barrier. Here’s the ripple effect:
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A New Benchmark: Everyone is the coffee production world and every barista that cares about their craft is chasing that perfect brew. A score of 98 tells roasters, baristas, and farmers worldwide: “This is what’s possible.” It pushes everyone to aim higher.
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Panama’s Crown Shines Brighter: These records cement Panama as the home of ultra-premium coffee and Hacienda La Esmeralda has firmly positioned themselves as industry leaders.
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The Geisha Legacy Grows: The already highly sort after and world-renowned variety has now scored better than ever before which only serves to reaffirm it's potential. This excitement around this variety isn't set to die down as producers continue to chase perfection and as baristas and consumers alike enjoy the fruits of their labour.
Auction Fever: Get Ready for History… Again
Winning BoP is huge but then comes the online auction (August 6–7 this year). That’s where prices have the potential to go stratospheric!
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Past Madness: Last year, o2,500/kg and another sold for a whopping US$7,500/kg price(AUD $10,000+)
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2025 could be the Perfect Storm? With record-breaking scores + tiny lot sizes (some just 6–10 kg!), bidding wars are guaranteed. Expect Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai, and NYC roasters and green bean buyers to duel hard. Could we see $15,000/kg? It’s possible.
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Why Pay That Much? For elite roasters, it’s prestige and to be a part of history. To be able to work with such excellent green beans is an honour and something many coffee professionals will fight hard to secure.
Final Thoughts
So yeah, yesterday was a pretty special award ceremony. It was a milestone for Panama, for a family farm that changed coffee forever and continues to do so, and for anyone who believes a humble bean can carry the soul of a place.
"For me personally, taking the trip to visit Hacienda La Esmeralda and being welcomed by the Peterson family, was incredibly inspirational and a memory I will cherish forever. The thing I like most about La Esmeralda is how they really champion the terroir of the land and the variety of coffee, which to me, leads to a depth, nuance and refined subtlety you can't find anywhere else" - Danny Andrade
All eyes on August 6th. Let the bidding begin. ☕💥
