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Beans: Gardelli Carmen Estate, Geisha, Washed, Boquete, Panama.
Shop: Gardelli, webshop, Forli, Italy.
Gardelli – Carmen Estate: Background Information.
It has been over nine years ago that Carlos Aguilera planted Geisha coffee on his farm Carmen Estate. In its first year of production Carlos’ Geisha won both a Good Food Award, but also took 4th place in the Best of Panama Auction in international cupping score. Carmen Estate has been producing and exporting high quality Arabica coffee for over 50 years. Year after year and cup after cup the consistency in quality has driven it’s way to make the best coffee of Panama. Carmen Estate lies in Boquete, Panama and is situated at 1700 meters above sea level. This particular lot of geisha coffee consisted out of 800 kilos and was hand picked in March 2018. The coffee got a washed process and this means that what you taste is solely the characteristics of the bean itself.
Gardelli – Carmen Estate: Opening the package.
The Gardelli package is pink, pink and pink. Not only does it stand out in the crowd, it looks posh and stands for a certain level of quality. The package comes with a secure ziplock to keep the bag sealed tight. The information on the package is complete and literally everything is mentioned. On the front you will find the name, country of origin and quality score. The back has information about the terroir, altitude, variety, producer, process type and cupping notes. If you read the package, you know what you’re buying.
When opening the package the scent immediately comes out. Syrup sweetness (raspberry and red fruit) and floral notes (Jasmine and Bergamot) are easily detected on the nose. Looking inside I see an even roast and beans of equal size. When I bite down on a bean I feel its crispy and fresh. The bean tastes sour and salty and stimulates my saliva glands before the flavour of raspberry comes up faintly and is accompanied by a jasmine tea note. This already promises something!!
Gardelli – Carmen Estate: The Tasting.
I am reviewing this coffee a little different than usual. Like always I will use the Hario V60, Siphon and Aeropress to review this coffee. Normally I mix the tasting notes of the Hario, Aeropress and Siphon into one review to keep it short and to the point. This Carmen Estate, however, is of such quality that I will write small pieces on all three brewers. The Hario V60 and Siphon bring beautiful results like always. My personal favourite for this coffee however is the Aeropress. This brewer manages to bring out the full sweetness of this coffee without neglecting the beautiful floral and citric notes. I hope I am not spilling too much information already? Enjoy this review!
Siphon:
The Siphon recipe is a 14.3/170gr recipe where the water never hits the boiling point. The aromas that appear on the brew are that of cotton candy and raspberry. I take a sip and the flavours of lemon, bergamot and jasmine take over the front of my mouth. The citric mouthfeel and bright acidity are obvious while the mouthfeel is like that of tangerine and the accompanying subtle tannins. The raspberry flavour appears only slightly on the Siphon and is found in the sweetness when the coffee cools down.
Hario V60:
The Hario V60 recipe is 15/225gr on 92 degrees. The brew smells lovely and much more fruity than the Siphon brew. I detect flavours of jasmine and bergamot but above all is the aroma of Raspberry jam. I take a small sip and slurp oxygen inside my mouth. At first the flavours are that of lemon and a tangerine soft sourness. Hints of jasmine and bergamot turn up slowly and turn it into a bouquet of flowers. When the coffee cools down, it opens up fully and reveals a nice sweetness of raspberry that superbly complements the citric aspect of the brew. Weak tannins make their appearance on my gums and the bright citric acidity feels really nice.
Aeropress:
I use my own recipe for the Aeropress with 20/240gr. with two different temperatures for the blooming and brewing. This is the perfect brewer for this coffee! The brew smells super sweet and floral and the word that comes to mind is ‘fabric softener’. Raspberry combined with jasmine and a tangerine freshness. What a scent! When I take a sip and slurp oxygen inside my mouth the coffee blooms and opens up immediately. The flavour is that of raspberry chewing gum while the sides of my mouth experience a lemony aspect. The sweet and sour in my mouth makes my mouth water and with each sip the coffee becomes sweeter. As I swallow the coffee I detect notes of jasmine and bergamot that mingle with the raspberry and lemon. I love how the flavours connect and create a balanced and beautiful brew in the end. The aftertaste lingers long and makes you want to take another sip right away.
Gardelli – Carmen Estate: The verdict.
We all know that Geisha coffee is a special variety that produce amazing coffees. I guess it is no surprise that the Gardelli Carmen Estate lives up this expectation to the fullest. Rubens Gardelli has roasted this Geisha to perfection and managed to activate all the flavours in the beans. Each and every brewer brings out something special in this coffee; the Hario is balanced, the Siphon focusses more on the citric aspects while the Aeropress pulls out an amazing raspberry jam flavour.
What is there to say about a coffee that has it all? Great aroma’s and flavours, a beautiful acidity and mouthfeel. This coffee is like a puzzle that you complete while drinking. When you swallow the brew, the puzzle is complete. Great job Gardelli!!