Boquete, Panama, Aug 7 (EFE).- Panama’s Geisha has scored the highest at the 25th edition of the international coffee tasting competition and now heads to an auction event where it has previously set a record-breaking price of over $1,000 a pound.

Characterized by floral aromatics as rose and jasmine, fruity hints, and tropical flavors, Geisha is grown Panamanian highlands of Chiriqui, rich in potassium and calcium-rich volcanic soils.

Some 169 coffee varieties participated in the 25th edition of the prestigious Best of Panama (BoP) coffee competition by the Specialty Coffee Association of Panama (SCAP).

Nineteen judges from the United States, Australia, Bulgaria, China, Japan, Costa Rica, South Korea, and Taiwan chose the winners.

The winners will now compete in the e-auction on Sep.22.

SCAP hopes to fetch a new world record with the variety that reached $1,300.5 a pound last year.

Panama’s coffee production is limited.

But the country has discovered a lucrative niche in specialty coffees such as Geisha, sold at record prices, especially in Asia and Europe.

The Nuguo Fermented batch, owned by Café Gallardo, took first place in the natural Geisha category with 94.75 points out of a 100.

The washed Geisha category of the Avalanche of Flavors batch, by Itza Priscila Sittón Vega de Amar, scored 93.50 points.

José Gallardo, owned by the Nuguo Fermented batch, told Efe that they fermented the variety for up to 5 days at 30 degrees Celsius.

It gave it pleasant but very complex characteristics on the palate with floral and fruity flavors and acids.

Sittón Vega de Amar said they harvested the Avalanche of Flavors batch and kept it under strict temperature controls for two days.

The second place in the natural Geisha category went to the Black Jaguar Natural Limited batch by Tessie and Ratibor Hartmann with 93.25 points.

Mama Cata Mokkita Natural batch from the Garrido family took first place with 93 points in the natural varietal category.

First place in the washed varietal category went to the Santos Pacamara White Stallion lot, from Santos Café Panama, with 89.25 points. EFE

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