Panama Finca Esther. C02 Flush ASD. Lot 7 SL34

Origin: Panama

Region: Volacancito Arriba, Boquete

Farm/Producer: Finca Esther / Martin Santos Chavez

Altitude: 1450-1550m

Varietal: SL34

Process: C02 Flush ASD Natural

Harvest: 2024/25

Direct Trade and World Exclusive with MásCafé Panama

Cupping Score: 87.50

FOB(£)/Vol: £17.84/ 22.6796kg

Roastedin Light omni roast style.

We taste: Ci

The Story

Finca Minerva is part of MásCafé Panama coffee farms in Boquete Panama, located in the Chiriqui Province district of Boquete at 1550 Mts. The farm is led by Martin Santos Chavez and Esther Leung, who are at the forefront of innovation in processes such as yeasts, carbonic macerations, fermentations and slow drying.

I began speaking with Martin across Instagram in 2021, exchanging samples and was blown away by the flavour of his coffee. Now in 2025, I’m excited to be continuing to roast his coffee and to be working with him directly. Now in our 3rd year sourcing from his farm, and this year we’re back with some incredible lots.

Nested on the slopes of the Baru volcano, the conditions and diversity of the ecosystem create a unique terroir for growing coffee. Martin starts by harvesting only the ripe coffee cherries, he then puts them through a flotation process to discard all the empty beans and unripe cherries. In coffee processing, a "CO2 flush" refers to the process of injecting carbon dioxide (CO2) into a sealed container (like a fermentation tank) to create an oxygen-free (anaerobic) environment.

This technique is used in methods like carbonic maceration, which is borrowed from winemaking, and also in other controlled fermentation processes. The goal is to encourage specific types of microbial activity (like certain yeasts) that contribute to unique flavour development while inhibiting others that can lead to off-flavours. This helps to create a more predictable and controlled fermentation process, leading to more consistent and complex flavour profiles.