When I heard about award-winning Geisha, Panama’s best coffee—which is one of the best/most expensive in the world—I really thought I wanted to try it.
So, while in Boquete, known for its climate and fertile soil that’s ideal for coffee growing, I considered several tours. I then settled on one with Café Ruiz, one of the oldest coffee estates there that offers this hard-to-grow premium coffee.
As expected, I enjoyed the tour; I found the coffee process—all of it and not just about Geisha itself—quite fascinating. But what I didn’t expect was that I would find my tour guide, Carlos, even more interesting.
The reason?
Meet Carlos—a Local Ngobe
He’s not just a local, but an indigenous man. A Ngobe. And one who loves what he does for a living.
As he showed me around, we got to know each other in Spanish and in English. I mentioned to him that I’d volunteered, the day before, at the local Volcancito School in Boquete—one that serves underprivileged Ngobe children.
We talked about the fact that many of the children walk for close to an hour to get to school and are happy when they get a simple breakfast of hot farina. I recalled how sweet and eager to learn they were—and how I wished I could have done more as a volunteer.
“I was one one them,” Carlos told me. His Ngobe family struggled. In fact, when he was 12, he had to work while going to school. And it wasn’t for extra money; he had no choice; they needed the money.
So what sort of work did he do?
He picked coffee beans. At Café Ruiz.
It was a grueling job, based on how he described it. Standing in the relentless sun, getting cut up by the plants, bitten by insects, etc. Fortunately, he worked in all the other stages of the process and eventually advanced to his current job, that of a tour guide—which he obviously enjoys and excels at.
In between conversations about coffee cultivation and the rest of the process—its many and intricate steps—he explained that he was able to finish school and to educate himself, too. I’m not sure if he went to college or to tourism school (he probably did); his English was very good, he was super knowledgeable about coffee and he gave a fantastic tour.
So…back to the story.
There I was, enjoying myself—and feeling psyched about wanting to try the Geisha coffee. After the tour (which included a coffee tasting experience) concluded, Carlos walked me over to the coffee bar.
(By the way, we ran into 80-something year old Señor Ruiz, the owner, on our way. I was thrilled to meet him and have a chat in Spanish about coffee, etc.).
Señor Ruiz
When we got there, I got my free bag of the basic Arabica coffee they give away as part of the tour price ($30, from what I recall). (Believe me, when I got home and tried it out in my French press, I was quite pleased.)
Geisha—$9 a cup
I now stood there, checking out coffee price list–the “coffees of the day.” Geisha, of course, was on the list.
For $9 a cup. (I didn’t even ask the price for a small bag of beans—fuggedabout it!)
Ouch, I thought. That’s big bucks for a small cup of java. But then—it’s Panama’s best coffee and I should try it. I’m a coffee lover, after all.
“So, what’s the deal with the Geisha?” I asked Carlos. I truly respected his opinion; he was both knowledgeable and down to earth. No BS whatsoever (sadly, I do recall experiencing some with snarky foreigners who wanted me to take tours of their estates/farms.)
“Well, it’s good. Excellent. But if you’re a true coffee drinker, you might not like it.”
“Really? What’s it like?”
“It’s smooth–floral and citrusy. Good coffee for tea drinkers. ”
“Hmmm.”
At this point, thinking about my budget, which I’d already blown several times on this particular trip, I wondered if I really needed a $9 cup of coffee. By the way, it was served in a tiny cup. Larger than what you’d get Turkish coffee in, but not much bigger.
“Which of the premium coffees on the list do you recommend?”
Berlina–at $3–a Better Deal?
“The Berlina. It’s excellent. Full-bodied with a hint of chocolate.”
“OK, then. I’ll try that.” I’m a chocolate lover anyway.
As an added bonus, I would be saving several dollars by skipping the Geisha and going for this alternative. And I knew what I was going to do with that money.
Just when Carlos was saying goodbye and walking away, I called him back.
Although I’m a low-budget backpacker, I do tip. And this was case where it was more than deserved.I gave him $5, and he was overjoyed and I so was I.
I then sat down and enjoyed the Berlina, which was great—just as he’d said. Not only was it flavorful, but it was truly satisfying to me personally.
To me, it was the best cup of coffee in Panama.
Your Thoughts/Experiences?
Have you taken any coffee tours in Panama or elsewhere? Did you try any of the premium/estate coffees? If so, how far did you go in terms of price? Did you try Geisha?
In my situation, would you—as a coffee lover—have tried Geisha and skipped the tip? Or done both? Just wondering….
Related Links
If you’re interested in taking a tour with Cafe Ruiz, click here. (Note: I did not receive any compensation for writing this post. I simply enjoyed the tour, highly recommend Carlos and thus, wanted to share this story with you.)
To learn more about the Ngöbe-Buglé Comarca (tribe/reservation),click here.