Best of Panama First Cupping

[Steve]

hmmm Me had Very VERY nice coffee today, me's a very happy coffee boy. One of them was probably one of the best coffee's every to pass my lips.

I talk of course of the best of Panama 2006 number 1 2 and 3.

Ok let me set the scene, both Phil and I have a blind cupping table of four coffees. One of the coffees is a control sample the others the best of Panama. We set out the beans into the cupping bowls, and sample number 4 I straight away I think I spot the control sample, as the beans are bigger. I admit this to Phil and we carry on.

Number 1 (on the table that it) was fine coffee that would be perfectly at home against any true Specialty coffee, floral and the aroma was fine fine fine a little too smooth and lacks acidity for Phil but I enjoy it.

Number 2 on the table was sweet and I fall over the caramel nuttiness. Phil thinks the sweetness is a little dry and when he points it out I do get it. But again fine quality coffee.

Number 3 is an acid fruit bowl and a little too much for both of us and on the table it was probably the weakest but it did grow as it cooled and balanced it self out.

Number 4 I think is the control sample and to be honest I’m disappointed at the other three now. They are good coffees but non had lived up to the hype of the mythical Esmerelda. But then I taste and WOW aroma HUGE, cup HUGE this is perfection, just a cup full of apricots, and then Phil says stewed apricots and its bang on the money. It then flows in to a peach that is smooth and without imperfection. It flows and carries on and on an, and you don’t want it to finish. This is certainly one if THE best coffees I have EVER tasted. Believe the hype this is fantastic. It couldn’t have been planned better.

Table number 1: Number 2 from Panama
Table number 2: Control sample of Brazil Canario
Table number 3: Number 3 from Panama
Table number 4: Number 1 from Panama Esmerelda



Afterwards I kind of got to thinking if this coffee was wine or if this coffee was a malt whisky I wouldn’t be able to enjoy this as I wouldn’t be able to afford it. I'm thinking it so I'm going to say it I think this coffee is too cheap, there you go I've done it. Now shoot my down in flames.

I think that anything that joins a table with that coffee it’s just not a fair playing field. I’m going to try the number 2 and number 3 on there own at some point or on another table without it, as I could spot that coffee all day every day, even with a cold. I know they must be good coffees, but the Esmerlda is a different planet.

Now I’d like to say I wouldn’t drink it every day as it would spoil it, but for special occasions this is a bargain. Even if it’s $200 next year I'll buy it then too.

Now the thing for me is that I couldn’t drink it without asking why is this coffee so special, why is it so good, and why can't this be repeated. You’ve just got to love Mother Nature

[lukas]

Steve! Stop talking like that! You make me shivering!

C'mon! This man, whose "normal, simple" Espresso blend "simply" blew me away as it was the fscking best espresso I had before that date, whose Harrar on the clover made me realize what "blueberry" means when he writes "blueberry" on his cupping sheet ... maaaaaan, you can't come here and say this stuff to all of us! You're torturing me! You said "believe the hype" after you tried the clover, and I know that you were damn right with that. Shit, now I have to believe that you're damn right with this, too.

Steve, it's really cool of you to share all this with us. I love that!

Edit: This is what I really wanted to say: THANK YOU MAN.

[CakeBoy]

Swines, the pair of you! Sounds like a great day and an even greater coffee ...... I'm salivating!

[Beanie]

Oh the envy! Oh no... not mine... YOURS! You see, now you've had it... you'll know what you're missing from now onwards. Yeah, you'll appreciate all the other supercalifragilistic freakin beans... but you'll always remember 'THIS one'. Me, OTOH, I'm blissfully ignorant how 'perfect' that cup of Esmeralda was I can merrily go on worshipping my Harrar and kiss all my bags of COE, and hug all the remaining bags of really great coffee in my inventory. Every day I'll be content with having some of the best coffees I have ever tasted

Please don't change my current state of blissful ignorance and send me down the green road of envy Ahhhhhh shit, too late You lucky, b@$7@9d$ !

[Joris]

It sounds really nice, puddles of saliva are forming on the floor as we speak

[chemistone]

LALALALALALA. can't hear you LALALALALALA
Don't believe you LALALALALA
The proof of the pudding/coffee….., so please sent me a bag.

All your Esmeralda coffee are belong to us

Steve, sounds like a really great coffee and it is the prove that it pays out to produce great coffee. No need for Fair-trade to get a good price, just produce good stuff.