Pu’er Coffee

 A while ago, a friend mentioned a coffee estate to me during our conversation—Finca Lérida from Panama. I felt like I had heard the name before, but I had never actually tried their beans, let alone learned anything about them. Naturally, my curiosity kicked in, and I decided to look into it. When I opened their website and social media pages, I was surprised to see that their branding leaned toward “boutique resort.” After digging further, I realized that this place isn’t just a coffee farm—it’s also a boutique hotel. Honestly, this “all-in-one” Panamanian version of a farm-stay makes it even more appealing to a coffee lover like me. Finca Lérida truly is a farm with a rich and distinctive history. Its founder, Toleff Bache Mönniche, came to Panama from Norway in 1907 as an engineer working on the Panama Canal (I even found old newspaper records showing his involvement in designing the dam!). He retired in 1924 and bought a small farm in Boquete with his wife. The land was purcha...

 The world of coffee is incredibly rich and diverse. Beans from different origins and varieties each have their own unique character. Today, let’s take a look at eight globally recognized coffee beans known for their distinctive flavors—and see how many you’ve tried. 1. Panama Geisha Geisha coffee is considered a superstar in the coffee world. Though it originated in Ethiopia, it rose to fame in Panama. Geisha beans are known for their intense floral aroma and citrus-like sweetness, offering a complex flavor profile with a long, elegant finish. Grown at high altitudes and carefully cultivated, every sip is full of surprises. Tasting Geisha feels like strolling through a spring garden—fresh, bright, and enchanting. 2. Jamaica Blue Mountain Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is world-renowned for its balance and gentle flavor. Grown in the Blue Mountain region, its unique climate and soil conditions create beans with soft acidity and notes of nuts and chocolate. Smooth and medium-bodi...

 When Julith Café in Dubai introduced a cup of coffee priced at 3,600 dirhams, the drink—made from beans grown near Panama’s volcanoes and known for its floral and fruity notes—quickly became the talk of the high-end coffee world. More than a luxury beverage, it became a prism reflecting the deeper split within the global coffee market. At the same time, coffee futures on the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) have been surging due to growing supply concerns. Together, these developments point to a clear reality: the global coffee market is entering an era of sharp divergence. On one side is the pursuit of extreme flavor—“liquid luxury”; on the other is the essential commodity that millions rely on—“black gold.” Both coexist in the same global marketplace yet follow dramatically different paths. 01 The Luxury Summit: A Flavor Masterpiece Born From Volcanic Soil** The story of Dubai’s sky-high coffee is, at its core, an extreme expression of scarcity and sensory experience. Its key ...

  “Once, I was their moonlight — pure and rare. Now, the moon still shines, but no one looks up anymore.” 1. A Name Written in Gold My name is Geisha . Most people think I’m a coffee variety . But the truth is far more complicated — and far more human. In the chronicles of Specialty Coffee , my name is written in bold, shimmering ink across the opening pages. They call me legend , queen , benchmark — a measure of whether a cup of coffee is worthy of the world’s finest tables. At auctions, I’ve set prices that made headlines. My flavor has been called divine : a burst of jasmine, the sweetness of citrus and bergamot, and a tea-like body as smooth as velvet. And yet, tonight, as I gaze up at the stars over a quiet estate in Baoshan, Yunnan, I feel a strange sense of confusion. Is this the same sky that watched over the village of Gesha, Ethiopia, seventy years ago? My name is the same — but I, somehow, am not. 2. The Forest and the Mistake My story began with a beautif...

  The World Barista Championship (WBC) has long been a stage for showcasing some of the world’s most fascinating and distinctive coffees. In recent years, more and more competitors have chosen to feature lesser-known Arabica varieties — and even different coffee species — in their presentations. Interestingly, many of these coffees come from Colombia . While the country has always been famous for producing high-quality coffee, a growing number of Colombian farmers are now cultivating and exporting rare and forgotten varieties. These beans are increasingly being used by WBC competitors in their championship routines. Even many of the Geisha coffees used on the WBC stage in recent years have come from Colombia. So, why has Colombian coffee become such a favorite among competitors? And will this trend continue? To find out, we spoke with Elias Bayter of Forest Coffee , Maria Alejandra Escobar Huertas of Café Granja La Esperanza , and Daniele Ricci , runner-up at the 2023 WBC. ...