Anniversary Panamanian coffees hunted by JV, a coffee expert!

6th Anniversary with superb Geishas curated by JV

13. August 2023 is the 6th anniversary of Apollon's Gold. To celebrate our anniversary, we are offering our very first collaboration coffees with our friend, a world class coffee expert, Jonathan Vaz Matias(a.k.a. JV coffee hunter). He has been visiting Panama annually and has a strong relationship with each local producer, this time JV selected some “crazy stuffs” for us.

As JV coffee selection #1, we are offering 3 crazy Geishas from Chevas Coffee Estate and a marvelous Caturra from Carmen Coffee Estate!

Jonathan Vaz Matias JV coffee hunter

JV is a world class coffee expert and coffee consultant. Currently, he is mainly an AST certifying trainer by the SCA and a competition judge based in Barcelona and traveling around the world to provide seminars for hundreds of his students in the world. He is a real coffee expert teaching baristas, roasters, competitors and farmers with his abundant of experience; also known as the author of "Sensory Lexicon" and "Your Coffee Recipe Book").

The story behind

We got to know each other in early 2021. He ordered some of Apollon's Gold coffee bags and also sent us some amazing coffees then we immediately became friends as we liked his coffees a lot and vice versa. Since then, we sometimes exchange the roasted beans and talk about coffee a lot, also he kindly provide us some precious advice on our brew guides and green beans sourcing. He is one of the leading figures whom we trust and respect the most.

About Chevas Geisha Coffees 

Chevas Honey

Tasting notes: rose, voilet plum, apricot, melon
Coffee type: terroir side, vibrant, elegant, classic Geisha, tropical
Altitude: 1700 m.a.s.l
Area: El Salto, Boquete, Chiriqui, Panama
Variety: Geisha
Producer: Jose Luis Chevas
Process: honey
Roasted for espresso and filter
Wholebeans(100g)

Degassing: we recommend degassing this coffee unopened for at least 50days. Best from 60days to 80days post roast.

A rising star from Boquete

Seems like most of us, coffee lovers, haven't heard of the name "Chevas" yet some professionals visited Panama this year are hyped and crazy about their coffee. We also had not heard of the farm till JV recommended their coffee offerings strongly. According to JV, Chevas farm is very young(in fact established in 2016) but growing and improving the coffee's quality so drastically to become one of the best producers in Panama. We also love their honesty and attitude to the farm and coffee, they have been investing a lot on the farm.

Lot Honey 3D-4D-2D processing

Geisha harvested at its maximum Brix percentage, which was placed in baskets with the presence of oxygen to obtain cheery aerobic fermentation for three days. Then it was pulped and placed in a tank for 4 days to loosen the mucilage, to then be fermented for 2 days in the lower bed and subsequently dried for 15 days in the upper beds. 

Cupping review

This honey processed Geisha delights with vibrant notes of the cultivar. Expect sweet violet colored plum accompanied by rose and jasmine florals, notes of melon and apricot in the finish. The flavors remind us of some top notch washed Geishas and each flavor is delicate yet pretty distinct, with tropical vibes throughout.

Orion

Tasting notes: lemon, grapefruit, violet, jasmine
Coffee type: vibrant, winey style, very clean, transparent, rich and smooth body, very sweet, intense yet balanced acidity, juicy, competition style
Altitude: 1700 m.a.s.l
Area: El Salto, Boquete, Chiriqui, Panama
Variety: Geisha
Producer: Jose Luis Chevas
Process: natural with yeast fermentation
Roasted for espresso and filter
Wholebeans(100g)

Degassing: we recommend degassing this coffee unopened for at least 60days. Best from 60days to 80days post roast.

A competition  coffee from Chevas

Orion is a competition coffee from Chevas coffee estate which is made for French CIGS champion, available for very few roasters in the world. According to JV, this Geisha is one of the best coffees he's tried in the whole carrier. Though there are still some fermentation notes especially when its fresh, you'll find lots of Geisha flavors, especially vibrant citrus notes, in the cup besides fermentation when you brew this as a pour over. This is definitely the best Geisha natural we've ever offered, especially extended fermentation coffee!

Geisha Orion processing

They made a fermentation of 30days at 8 Celsius cold temperature to highlight the fruit notes of the natural process without loosing Geisha flavors.

Cupping review

Orion is a supreme coffee which is super juicy, super clean and transparent with its rich and smooth mouthfeel. Expect notes of lemon (more like oil from lemon peel), juicy grapefruit, violet and jasmine florals, all those amazing flavor are displayed on its perfect body structure. We all are so impressed that they achieved this incredible transparency and cleanliness with an extended fermentation natural Geisha.

Mamacoco

Tasting notes: passionfruit, lavender, dark cherry 
Coffee type: rich mouthfeel, medium-full body, very mild acidity, vibrant, completion style, tropical 
Altitude: 1700 m.a.s.l
Area: El Salto, Boquete, Chiriqui, Panama
Variety: Geisha
Producer: Jose Luis Chevas
Process: washed lactobacillus fermentation
Roasted for espresso and filter
Wholebeans(100g)

Degassing: we recommend degassing this coffee unopened for at least 45days. Best from 50days to 70days post roast.

Geisha Mamacoco

Another stunning coffee that impressed JV is washed Geisha. JV recommend this Geisha as super sweet and Geisha floral coffee. Though it was not on the list originally, he tried best to get the coffee for us.

Mamacoco processing

Geisha Mamacoco is a lactobacillus fermentation to create a beautifully mild acidity. The cherries are depulped with the bacteria for 10days in the tank which helps them with tweaking the acidity of the Geisha variety.

Cupping review

Mamacoco delights with exciting Geisha flavors of passionfruit, lavender and dark cherry on its very mild acidity and rich body. As it's described by the producer, this Geisha offers really mild yet bold acidity to accentuate its exciting Geisha flavors