Introduction:In the 2026 BOP Washed Geisha category, Finca El Pergamino scored 96.00 points, closely following champion Finca Eldorado with just a 0.25-point difference to secure second place. This small-scale farm, nestled in Panama’s highlands at elevations between 1,800 and 2,000 meters, has crafted an astonishing Geisha through traditional washed processing and exceptional terroir. This article delves into the backstory, processing methods, and recommended pour over parameters of this silver-medal Geisha, helping coffee enthusiasts better appreciate the charm of this competition-grade specialty bean.
In the 2026 Best of Panama (BOP) Washed Geisha category, Finca Eldorado claimed the top spot with an outstanding score of 96.25, earning the highest score not only in its category but across the entire competition. Right behind it, with a mere 0.25-point gap, is a name still unfamiliar to many coffee lovers—Finca El Pergamino, which scored 96.00 points to take second place in the category, demonstrating nearly championship-level excellence.
“Pergamino” means “parchment” in Spanish, referring to the tough yellow inner husk that encases green coffee beans. This layer serves a crucial role in protecting the beans from moisture and external contaminants before export, helping preserve the coffee’s original flavors. A farm choosing such a technical term as its name undoubtedly reflects its deep respect and passion for coffee cultivation and processing.
Finca El Pergamino is located in Alto Guerra, Bambito, Panama, at an altitude of 1,800 to 2,000 meters on volcanic slopes, featuring a typical high-elevation growing environment. The farm owners, Yaneth de Lucich and her husband, originally focused mainly on potato farming until 2017, when they decided to transition to coffee production, initially planting Geisha and Yellow Bourbon varieties. The high-altitude climate results in a slower ripening process for the coffee cherries, aiding in the accumulation of flavor compounds and sweetness—an essential reason for cultivating specialty coffee at this elevation.
Amid today’s ever-evolving coffee processing methods—where anaerobic fermentation, double fermentation, and special infusions have become trendy—Finca El Pergamino remains committed to the most traditional and straightforward washed and natural processing techniques. The farm owners firmly believe that the high altitude and unique terroir alone are sufficient to bring out the beans’ rich characteristics, and that the processing stage should “interfere” as little as possible with the beans’ natural flavor development. It is precisely for this reason that in 2026, with a purely washed Geisha, they achieved a high score of 96.00, securing second place in the BOP washed category—a testament to their dedication to their original philosophy.
It’s worth mentioning that Finca El Pergamino is quite a small operation, and it wasn’t until 2021 that it gradually gained recognition among international specialty coffee buyers through the BOP competition. Since then, the farm has frequently appeared in major international competitions: in 2026, not only did its washed Geisha take second place in the category, but its natural Geisha also advanced to the top eight in the same group. Additionally, international roasters have used beans from this farm to achieve notable results in the World Brewers Cup.
A specialty washed Geisha scoring 96.00 points would undoubtedly be podium-worthy in any edition of the BOP competition. Although it ultimately missed out on first place by just 0.25 points, this slim margin is enough to bring this small farm, hidden in the misty highlands of Bambito, into the global spotlight of specialty coffee enthusiasts—as a potential region and brand worth watching.
For coffee enthusiasts looking to brew a similar-flavored Geisha at home, it is recommended to use a medium-light roasted washed bean, ground to a medium-fine consistency (such as the size of table salt or fine sugar grains recommended for pour over filters), with water temperature controlled between 90–93°C. Employing a pulse pouring method, with a total water volume of about 240 milliliters for 15 grams of coffee, start with a 30-gram bloom for 30 seconds, followed by continuous circular pouring to reach the target volume. The total extraction time is advised to be around 2 minutes 30 seconds to 3 minutes. These parameters help to highlight the citrus, floral, and tea-like finish unique to Geisha beans, showcasing the classic flavor profile of high-altitude washed Geisha.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
