At the turn of the century, Robert Lamastus purchased a coffee farm while living in Panama working on the construction of the Panama Canal. He named this farm after his wife, whom he met while in Panama. Wilford Sr., who now runs the estate with his son, Wilford Jr., are not a pair to rest on their laurels. Elida Estate continues to innovate their coffee processing methods, improving cup quality and consistency year after year. The Lamastuses have changed the landscape of Panamanian coffee production, as well as setting records for price per pound of coffees sold from their farms.

Elida Estate is surrounded by rainforests, with winds from both the Caribbean and Pacific creating a dense fog in Alto Quiel. The coffee trees at Elida grow in volcanic soil, full of nutrients, and the lower than usual temperatures at these altitudes prolong ripening and extend the fruit development. After harvesting, the team at Elida Estate stack the cherries on top of each other, which slows down drying, but also develops more complex flavors and aids sugar development. Together with anaerobic processing, the Lamastus family refers to this processing method as ASD, or anaerobic slow dry, which they apply to both their Catuai and Geisha lots that they produce.

In the cup, we experience strawberry, with a bright red fruit acidity, a creamy texture, and a high quality cacao or dark chocolate flavor.