El Burro - Natural Gesha Lot E

MEET THE PRODUCER | For four generations and over a hundred years, the Lamastus family has made its passion for coffee a bonafide family tradition. What started with a man named Robert Lamastus in 1918 has catapulted to an innumerable number of awards, prizes, and accolades under the leadership of his grandson, Wilford Lamastus, Sr., and his great-grandson, Wilford Jr. 

Founded by Robert in 1918, Elida Estate is the flagship farm in the Lamastus fleet, and it is perhaps the most well-known of their fleet. But there are two other farms in the Panamanian highlands which bear the Lamastus family name: Luito Estate, and the origin story of today's black label release, El Burro Estate. 

El Burro is located in the southernmost coffee-growing region of Panama, and part of it sits inside the Baru Volcano National Park (BVNP). This location is important for a few reasons: first, because of its protected status within BVNP, coffees being produced at El Burro come from some of the most undisturbed farmland in all of Panama. It is surrounded by native, cloudy rainforest, and the crop benefits tremendously from the fresh volcanic soil supplied by Volcano Baru. Additionally, the high altitude of the farm amidst this lush backdrop lends itself to particularly advantageous coffee-growing conditions: the climate is very dry during the dry season and very wet during the wet season, causing extended ripening times for El Burro's most beloved lots: Gesha.

TRUST THE PROCESS | The unique terroir in which this coffee grows is heavily responsible for its equally unique - and utterly distinguished - flavor profile. No fancy fermentation techniques here, folks—this coffee was handpicked at peak ripeness, handsorted for quality, and spread out on raised beds to sun-dry until optimal moisture content was achieved. 

TAKE A SIP | When hot, this coffee has a pleasantly floral aroma and leaves us seeing RED—red fruits, raspberry, and red wine, for example. Subtle tropical notes, like mango, can also be perceived. The coffee is smooth and chocolatey at this temperature, leaving us feeling as though we’ve indulged in some Valentine’s Day spoils. 

As the coffee approaches a pleasantly warm temperature, acidity ticks up and it becomes more jammy in nature. Mango and raspberry persist, and red wine gives way to something a little more tropical, like sangria. Guava is a surprising and lovely addition to the flavor call sheet here! 

When cool, this coffee gives us more of everything we’ve already experienced: it’s more tropical, more red-fruited, and even more like milk chocolate. From top to bottom, this cup strikes a lovely balance between variety and processing—a feat which has been mastered by many careful Lamastus hands. 

Origin | Boquete, Panama

Producer | Lamastus Family Estates

Farm | El Burro

Process | Natural

Variety | Gesha

Elevation | 1500-1750 MASL

Black & White Coffee Roasters sources this lot from the Lamastus Family Estates in Boquete, Panama, a region widely regarded as one of specialty coffee's most celebrated origins. Geisha is a varietal prized globally for its delicate floral aromatics and tea-like clarity — characteristics that have made Panama a benchmark for the variety at auction and among connoisseurs alike.

Where Geisha's reputation leans toward lightness and precision, the natural process introduces a different dimension: fruit dried on the bean tends to produce deeper, jammier sweetness and wine-like complexity. That tension between varietal refinement and process-driven richness is a useful lens for exploring this lot's range — from the more delicate floral register down through the layered red fruit and tropical notes. Consulting the flavor wheel can help anchor those sensory threads during tasting.