Panama- Arauz Estate CS21 Gesha - DRD Natural Process

Arauz Estate, managed by Richard Arauz, presently has farms in three different regions of Panama: Volcán, Boquete, and Cerro Punta. Employing controlled fermentation and drying techniques, like cold-room fermentation and dark-room drying, their gesha is exceptionally complex and expressive, without forfeiting the integrity of their soil and growing conditions. 

This is the first season that Arauz is working directly with roasters. It is an honor to share this delectable coffee produced by Richard and his wonderful team. This coffee was grown at Arauz’s Cotito Farm in Volcán. Here is some more on the process shared by Richard: 

“The cherries were meticulously hand-selected one by one, choosing only the ripest fruit from each harvest. Special attention was given to achieving a highly uniform lot by selecting only deep-red cherries with consistent color and optimal maturity.

Following harvest, the cherries were placed in a temperature-controlled cold room at 18°C (64°F) for 5 days, allowing a slow pre-drying stage that preserved fruit integrity while promoting a gentle and controlled fermentation.

The coffee was then transferred to a dark drying room with controlled temperature and dehumidifiers, where it remained for 18 days. This slow drying process ensured even moisture reduction while promoting greater aromatic complexity, sweetness, and stability.

Once the desired moisture content was achieved, the coffee was stored in a cold room for a resting period in parchment, allowing the beans to stabilize before milling.

This carefully controlled processing protocol was designed to maximize the expression of the Geisha variety, producing a cup with exceptional clarity, balance, sweetness, and aromatic complexity.”

In the cup, I find a tropical explosion that reminds me of fruit punch, a deep sweetness like red bean paste, and subtle red-berry acidity.

Sourced directly
Price paid (before shipping): $20.45/lb
After shipping: $22.27/lb