Description
MEET THE PRODUCER | Over a decade ago, Jamison Savage left the United States and his career in finance to pursue specialty coffee production in the Panamanian forest. That genuine leap of faith has certainly paid off, due in large part to Jamison's relentless pursuit of excellence and insistence on innovation. Since 2016, coffees from Finca Deborah have featured prominently on the World Barista stage, with all three of the top spots last year going to competitors who used one of Jamison's coffees. Today, Jamison is considered one of the most prolific coffee producers in the world—and one sip of this uniquely processed Gesha lot will likely have you nodding your head in quiet agreement.
WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL | Finca Deborah sits at 1900 meters above sea level, making it one of the highest altitude farms in the Volcán region of Panama. The Gesha trees grown here seamlessly integrate into the surrounding cloud forest. The ecosystem has a consistently high humidity while temperatures at night can cool dramatically. These lower temperatures slow the maturation of the coffee cherry and drive more sugars out of the tree and into the cherry, making for a more complex and sweet cup. The farming operation coexists with this ecosystem by avoiding the use of pesticides or other chemicals that could interrupt the diverse and often rare wildlife that call the area home. Additionally, all picking is done by hand and the processing operation is powered by on-site solar energy production.
TRUST THE PROCESS | This high-grown Gesha lot underwent a traditional washed processing protocol. No fancy experimental fermentation happening here, folks–but the combination of meticulous processing and the aforementioned uniqueness of its terroir culminate in a coffee that stands up to any Ethiopian Gesha on the cupping table.
TAKE A SIP | When hot, this coffee is intensely floral and remarkably sweet, like wildflower honey. Sweet stone fruit, like rainier cherries, is elevated by a vibrant and complex citrus character which will remain persistent throughout. Black tea, too, is a recurring character in the cup–and it will stick around long after this coffee has cooled.
As the coffee approaches a pleasantly warm temperature, everything becomes more vibrant and fresh: florality like jasmine, citrus like bergamot and lime zest, and fresh stone fruit like juicy peaches. Black tea continues to linger on the palette.
When cool, the acidity reaches peak vibrancy, reminding us of lemonade and limeade. The coffee still maintains a jasmine-like florality here, but the profile is more apparently tropical at this temperature–think mango sorbet and all things yellow. The finish - still tea-like! - is long and sweet, culminating with all that acid to delight our palettes with something like sipping an Arnold Palmer.
Origin | Volcán, Chiriqui, Panama
Producer | Jamison Savage
Farm | Finca Deborah
Process | Washed
Variety | Gesha
Elevation | 1900 MASL
BLACK LABEL ARCHIVE
All of our Black Label releases this year in one location.
So go ahead, pull that coffee from the freezer and get brewing.
