Panama Elida Estate Catuai Anaerobic Slow Dry

Farmlevel Story

This Anaerobic Slow Dry process from Elida Estate was specifically designed, through precise control of environmental and drying temperatures, to lock in a symphony of aromatic compounds in the coffee cherries. Rather than its historical purpose as a means to an end, they’ve helped create awareness of drying as a key moment for determining coffee quality. 

Proper drying starts with excellent raw material, and Catuai seeds benefit from a slow, even maturation while still in cherries on the tree. During harvest season, the ‘Bajareque’ (pronounced bah-ha-reh-keh)—a unique weather pattern influenced by both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans— makes Boquete an ideal growing region. 

Given its location on the Eastern slopes of Volcan Baru, in the Eastern portion of the Cordillera Talamanca, a mist accumulates around Boquete when a cold front is present along the coast of Florida. The Bajareque engulfs the Boquete landscape in an immense fog prolonging cherry maturation and resulting in denser, more complex coffee famous to this region. 

This lot is of superb quality and complexity, representing  a balance between the naturally-inherent and the human-inspired.