Panama Elida Estate Geisha Natural ASD - Torre Lot

We have offered coffee from Panama Elida Estate for several years, and 2021 is no exception. This exceptional lot is a Geisha Natural ASD (Anaerobic Slow Dry) from La Torre, the most coveted plot of land on the Elida Estate located at the farm's highest growing elevation.

Elida Estate has been run by the Lamastus family for four generations, starting in 1918 when the founder of the farm, Robert Lamastus, bought property along the Baru Volcano. There are three farms in the Lamastus family: Elida Estate, El Burro Estate, and Luito Geisha Estate. With elevations between 5500 and 8200 feet above sea level, Elida is the highest coffee farm in Panama, although coffee is only grown between 5600 and 6200 feet. A large part of the farm is a dedicated ecological reserve area in Volcan Baru National Park, a world heritage site.

Bob, Wilford Lamastus (owner of Elida), Barry

Elida made headlines a few years ago at the Best of Panama competition, where two of their coffee lots broke world records for the highest prices paid for coffee (per pound). Their Geisha Green Tip Washed sold for $661.00/lb at auction, and their Geisha Green Tip Natural sold for a whopping $803.00/lb. While prices in previous years were lower, the Lamastus family has had an impressive showing in the Best of Panama competitions; at least one lot from their farms has qualified since 2005, and usually they have more than one listed. In the 2019 Best of Panama competition, Elida Estate won first place in two categories, Natural and Washed Geisha, and again broke records when their Natural Geisha sold for $1029.00/lb. at auction. The 2020 Auction saw Elida place in the top ten of several categories; one Geisha Natural lot from La Torre placed #6 in its Category.

Wilford Lamastus, owner of Elida since 2015

ASD (Anaerobic Slow Dry) is a relative newcomer to the coffee processing game; at Elida Estate the coffee is picked from the trees and immediately transfered to an airtight container. The coffee sits for 5 days undisturbed, before the bag is opened and the coffee sorted and picked over. Unlike traditional washed and natural processes, ASD coffee has an elongated drying time in an unusual location. Wilford Lamastus sends most of his coffee down to the lower altitudes on his farm to dry, usually for 10-20 days, but this lot is dried up in the higher reaches of the farm for over forty days, until it reaches the correct moisture content. This unique processing system creates coffees with previously unseen coffee cherry flavors and intensity.

Wilford Lamastus describes the Anaerobic Slow Dry "ASD" process

• Province: Chiriqui
• District: Boquete
• Township: Los Naranjos
• Altitude: 5600-6200 feet above sea level
• Coffee variety: Geisha
• Processing: Natural ASD
• Farm: Elida Estate

Handmade wooden trays used for drying natural and honey coffees