Don Benjie Geisha Depulped P58 & F90

Finca Don Benjie is a beautiful coffee plantation on 33 hectares located in the Highlands of Chiriquí, north of Boquete in the Bajo Mono Canyon, at the slopes of the Barú Volcano. The farm lies alongside the pristine waters of the Caldera River in the Bajo Mono Canyon and the altitude of the plantation ranges from 1400 to 1550 meters. Bajo Mono is known amongst the best regions for growing great quality coffees, as the area is blessed with volcanic soil, crystal clear spring water fountains, and the famous mist called Bajareque, forming one of the many microclimates that make the region renowned for specialty coffee growing.

HISTORY – The de Dianous Family arrived in Boquete in 1914 where Gabriel de Dianous purchased the first coffee farm also in Bajo Mono. Since then the family has been in the coffee business. The farm was first owned by an American Lady, Mrs Archer who was one of the pioneers in Boquete. Dr Renan Esquivel, a well-known Panamanian pediatrician purchased the farm in the 1980s. He was a nature enthusiast and he planted many exotic trees, plants, and coffee varietals that are being preserved. The mystic location and landscape of the farm is an attraction for tourists, nature, and coffee enthusiasts.

The new owners Jose Benjamin de Dianous G. and Stefan Arwed Müller started operating the farm in 2011, committed to quality and preserving the environment. Their brand and commercial name is Café Don Benjie as a tribute to Mr Benjamin de Dianous Henriquez, who is known in the town of Boquete as Don Benjie. Benjamin de Dianous has always been a coffee enthusiast and has contributed to the town and coffee business of Boquete. Arabica varieties grown are: Typica, Caturra, Catuai (red and yellow) Magarogype Geisha, Bourbon (red, pink, and orange) Pacamara, and Kenya SL’s. The plantation is under constant renewal, always aiming for excellent quality, taking care of the environment and the well-being of their workforce. All their micro lots are carefully harvested by varietal and then processed as natural, washed, using innovative fermentation techniques (Carbonic Maceration, Natural Yeast Fermentations, etc) to bring out the best of our unique terroir. Their washed coffees are pulped with very limited use of spring water to contribute to the environment, always aiming for a cup of excellence.

Processing Details; “Pertaining to the same harvest as lot 89, lot 90 corresponds to a set of trials designed to showcase the impact of Pichia kluyveri as single inoculum culture against its role as co-fermentation inoculum. Following the 3-day fermentation, seeds remained in our drying facilities for 54 days, until reaching desirable quality parameters. ..” *Pichia kluyveri is a microorganism that has been widely studied due to its ability to produce high volatile compound concentration as a result of its metabolism. Similar to L. thermotolerans, it is a species that is widely used in wine making.”