Disclosure: Pull & Pour received coffee samples for this post, however, as always, all opinions are 100% my own.
Panama produces some of the best coffees in the world and when you mix in some experimental processing, the results can be truly stunning. That combination is found in this natural ASD (Anaerobic Slow Dry) coffee from the Boquete region of Panama. The coffee was intensely fruit forward and intensely delicious.
The coffee began with a fairly prominent fruity, sweet fragrance that reminded me of berries, tropical fruit and mangos. The flavor was richly sweet with notes of berries (raspberry, blackberry) and tropical fruit (pineapple, mango). It has a sparkling acidity that was fairly balanced and a light, yet smooth body. The fruit-toned sweetness was intense and lingered long into the finish. There was a wonderful depth to the flavor complexity, especially in regards to the fruit profile. I tried the coffee in a variety of brew methods and enjoyed them all including immersion and espresso, though I think it performed best as a pour over.
The Bottom Line
Elida Catuai was a special coffee and represented some of the best from the Panamanian origin. Its pairing of complex fruit notes and intense sweetness made it a special coffee to come back to each morning.