Carmen Estate was founded in 1960 by Efrain and Carmen Franceschi as a single estate and mill in Panama. Now in its third generation of family ownership under Carlos Aguilera, the estate was acquired by Panama Red Carmen Café Trading, with production currently overseen by Jean Paul Jangenstein Wachter. Carmen consistently places in the top 5 at specialty cupping contests, and in 2023 took Best of Panama in the Washed Category at a record-breaking US$10,500/kg.

The farm prioritizes ecological stewardship across insect management, soil conservation, water resource protection, and waste management. Each harvest, coffee cherries are handpicked by the Ngäbe-Buglé indigenous people, trained to select only bright red, fully ripe cherries and leave unripe fruit for later picking.

Our roasting team agreed that this is a clean, well-structured cup that's very fruity and juicy.

Brew recommendation:

• Resting: 2–3 weeks
• Espresso: 1:2–2.3 | 94°C | 24–27s
• Filter: 1:15–1:16 | 94°C