Allegro Coffee unveils limited edition Panama Esmeralda 1500 Gesha
Just in time for the holidays Allegro Coffee Company is releasing limited quantities of one of its most remarkable coffees: the coveted Panama Esmeralda 1500 Gesha. An Ethiopian heirloom variety, Gesha is grown in a small valley situated in the lower Southwestern province of Panama in its famed Boquete region.
In 1996, the Peterson family’s Hacienda La Esmeralda discovered the variety, finding that the best tasting coffee grew between 1,450 and 1,700 meters on their Jaramillo farm. At 1,500 meters, the beans produced an intensely fragrant and aromatic brew with notes of exotic jasmine, bergamot and orange blossom. With a bright, sweet acidity that is explosively floral on the palate, the Peterson’s Gesha variety has won 17 international coffee competitions since 2004.
“We have been in love with Esmeralda Gesha coffee since it first blew the international coffee community away in 2004,” explained Christy Thorns, buyer for Allegro Coffee Company, Denver, Colorado. “Over the years we have been lucky enough to buy some lots from the Esmeralda Special online auction and now we’re proud to have bigger volumes of the Gesha 1500 lot for the third year in a row. The Peterson family changed the coffee industry forever in 2004 and we are proud to have them as our friends and partners.”
In 2014, Hacienda La Esmeralda offered Allegro their Gesha 1500, an exclusive accumulation of the beautiful variety. Allegro is proud to share this rare limited edition coffee with its customers. Panama Esmeralda 1500 Gesha is available online through Allegro’s website and at Whole Foods Market stores exclusively in November and December. The Panama Esmeralda 1500 Gesha has an MSRP of USD $14.99 for an 8-ounce bag.
“Three years ago, Allegro became our largest buyer of the Gesha 1500 in the United States,” said Rachel Peterson, co-owner of Hacienda La Esmeralda.” We’ve loved partnering with them on this—working with Allegro has driven awareness surrounding one of our most coveted coffees to a large, diverse audience of discerning coffee drinkers.”