Best of Panama 2025: A Celebration of Coffee Excellence

Few events capture the essence of specialty coffee like the Best of Panama, a competition that doesn’t just showcase the finest beans from Central America, but sets the tone for the global market. Held this year from May 26 to June 7, this world-renowned event once again positioned Panama as the origin of some of the most extraordinary coffees on the planet.

1. What Is the Best of Panama?

Hosted annually by the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama (SCAP), the Best of Panama is a cupping competition that elevates excellence. Coffee producers across Panama submit their top lots, which are then blind-cupped and scored by national and international juries.

The 2025 edition was held in Boquete, Chiriquí, and culminated in a high-stakes award ceremony and a globally anticipated e-auction. This event is more than a contest—it’s a celebration of terroir, innovation, and craftsmanship.

2. Global and Regional Significance

What began as a national event in 1996 has evolved into a benchmark of quality in the global specialty coffee industry. Winning coffees from the Best of Panama often set record-breaking prices at auction and redefine the expectations of flavor, aroma, and processing.

For roasters, buyers, and collectors around the world, Best of Panama is not just a competition—it's a compass for where specialty coffee is heading next.

3. Participants & Judges

This year brought together:

21 National Judges, including Panama’s top cuppers and producers like Rachel Peterson (Hacienda La Esmeralda) and José Luttrell (Hacienda Cañas Verdes).

22 International Judges from markets like Japan, China, Taiwan, Australia, Korea, and the United States. Names like Will Young (Campos Coffee), Ellen Fan (Latorre & Dutch), and Su Zi Yan (Keen Coffee) reflect the global pull of this event.

These professionals evaluated each lot blindly, scoring coffees with precision and passion across categories: Washed Geisha, Natural Geisha, and Varietals.

4. Cupping, Categories & Scoring

The competition took place in two phases:

National Cupping (May 26–31): Local judges selected the top entries.

International Cupping (June 3–7): Foreign buyers and cuppers re-evaluated the finalists with fresh calibration and new codes.

Every lot was roasted under controlled parameters and cupped multiple times to ensure accuracy, consistency, and fairness. The event maintained full transparency through third-party auditing and scoring oversight.

5. Winners & Records

The big story of 2025? Hacienda La Esmeralda swept the podium:

🥇 Geisha Washed – 98.00 pts (World Record)

🥇 Geisha Natural – 97.00 pts (World Record)

🥇 Varietal Category – 92.88 pts

Other top performers included:

Finca Sophia (2nd place Washed Geisha – 96.25 pts)

Finca Los Cenizos (2nd place Natural Geisha – 96.25 pts)

Black Moon Farm (2nd place Varietal – 92.63 pts)

The winning lots now move on to the Best of Panama Auction in August, where prices are expected to break records once again.

6. Tasting Notes & Process Innovation

Geisha Washed (Buenos Aires / Buena Vista)

Elegant, floral, clean. Notes of orange blossom, white peach, black tea, lemon zest.

Geisha Natural Anaerobic (Noria)

Lush, tropical, layered. Notes of passionfruit, jasmine, bergamot, white peach, with vibrant acidity and silky body.

Jaramillo Washed Lot

Refined and balanced. Expect jasmine, rose, tangerine, condensed milk with a clarified, silky finish.

These profiles are the result of high-elevation growing (1,600–1,900 m), volcanic soil, and climate-controlled fermentation and drying techniques pioneered by producers like Hacienda La Esmeralda.

7. Why It Matters to the World — and to Redfield Coffee Roaster

Panama’s top producers have proven that small lots can have massive global impact. These coffees influence auction prices, café menus, and flavor expectations worldwide.

At Redfield Coffee Roasters, we view events like Best of Panama as more than just a competition. They represent everything we stand for:

Origin-first sourcing

Micro-lot excellence

Traceable, intentional coffee

As this year’s lots prepare for auction, we’re already tasting and selecting the best of the best - bringing world-class coffee, like Geisha and Caturra, directly from Panama to your cup.

Explore our coffees and discover your next favorite.

Final Thoughts

2025 marked a historic year for Panama’s coffee. From record scores to refined innovation, the Best of Panama set a new standard once again.

Stay tuned, Redfield Coffee will soon unveil our curated picks from this year’s harvest. Because we believe that the best coffee in the world starts at the origin, and it ends in moments worth savoring.

Exceptional origins. Minimalist presentation. Memorable taste.
Only at Redfield Coffee Roaster