Learn About Coffee
Varietals
Geisha
Geisha is a tall tree and the new leaves or buds can be green and/or bronze. This is a low yield tree with high quality. Currently, considered one of the best in the coffee world. This tree is tolerant to coffee leaf rust but susceptible to nematodes and coffee berry disease.
Panamanian Geisha is an exotic coffee with unique jasmine aroma, peach flavor and refreshing acidity. This is one of the most expensive coffees sold in the Specialty Coffee market.
Currently, we have planted 29,600 plants and in the nursery 3,213 seedlings.
Catuai
Catuai is a hybrid plant derived from crossing the Mundo Novo and Caturra varietals from Brazil.
Phenotypically, it is a dwarf and compact plant. The lateral branches form a closed angle with the main stem and it has short internodes. The new leaves or buds are green, the adult leaves have a rounded shape and are bright. Due to its structure, Catuai are plants that are very resistant to the wind and strong rains.
In terms of quality, Catuai is a very versatile coffee with a sweet characteristic.
Caturra
Caturra is a natural mutation of the Bourbon variety.
Phenotypically, it is a dwarf tree with a thick stem with few main branches but with abundant secondary branches and short internodes. The leaves are large and broad. The new leaves and buds are green.
In terms of quality, it is recognized by its well-pronounced acidity related to citric or lemony flavor notes. As with many other varietals, Caturra’s flavor notes can be improved by managing a good fertilization program.
Currently, the majority of our Caturra is in a young stage, expected to be producing in three years.
Bourbon
Bourbon is considered by many as a varietal of its own.
Phenotypically, this is recognized as a tall tree, with broad leaves and relatively small fruits. The tree shows a slight conical shape compared to Typica. It has more abundant branches with a narrower angle and the new leaves are green. This tree has a wider leaf than typical with wavier edges. Because of its tall size, it is more susceptible to strong winds which makes it necessary to be planted in suitable areas.
This varietal is recognized by its bright acidity, with a winey and sweet aftertaste.
Currently, less than 1% of our producing trees are Bourbon, but we have 5,000 seedlings in our nursery to be planted.
Typica
Typica is considered for many as the main Arabica coffee varietal.
Typica is a tall tree with a conical shape and branches that create a 50 – 70 degree angle towards the vertical stem. The first leaf is bronze color, and has long internodes. This plant has a low yield potential, very high susceptibility to coffee leaf rust but produces high quality beans.
All the efforts to invest in planting Typica are rewarded by an excellent cup profile. Depending on the altitude you can find Typica coffees with intense acidity, floral notes and very sweet aftertastes.
Currently, we have less than 1% of Typica coffee in production. 43,538 young plants have been planted and 23,137 seedlings are in our nursery.
Pacamara
Pacamara is a cross between Maragogype and Pacas which originated in El Salvador. This is a plant of small size, short internodes and high productivity, with fruits and large leaves of the Maragogype type. The cherries are big and the seeds are large and oval in shape.
Discover Our Coffee Estates
Farms in Production
Cuatro Caminos
8.3 Acres
1,350 Meters Altitude
100% Planted
Coffee Available Now
Varietals:
Catuai
Loma de los Cedros
18 Acres
1,500 Meters Altitude
100% Planted
Coffee Available Now
Varietals:
Catuai – Geisha – Typica – Bourbon
Doña Linda
12.5 Acres
1,450 Meters Altitude
100% Planted
Coffee Available Now
Varietals:
Catuai
Horqueta 1
23 Acres
1,500 Meters Altitude
100% Planted
Coffee Available Now
1st Harvest Cycle: 2019-2020
Varietals:
Geisha – Typica – Caturra – Pacamara
Horqueta 2
23 Acres
1,700 Meters Altitude
100% Planted
1st Harvest Cycle: 2020-2021
Varietals:
Geisha – Catuai – Typica
Horqueta 3
16 Acres
1,580 Meters Altitude
100% Planted
1st Harvest Cycle: 2020-2021
Varietals:
Catuai – Pacamara
La India
42 Acres
1,700 Meters Altitude
100% Planted
1st Harvest Cycle: 2019-2020
Varietals:
Caturra – Typica – Catuai – Geisha
Farms in Development
Jaramillo 8Ha
20 Acres
1,500 Meters Altitude
1st Harvest Cycle: 2021-2022
Varietals:
Caturra – Typica – Catuai – Geisha
Jaramillo 12Ha
30 Acres
1,800 Meters Altitude
1st Harvest Cycle: 2021-2022
Varietals:
Caturra – Typica – Catuai – Geisha
Jaramillo 14 Ha
35 Acres
1,650 Meters Altitude
1st Harvest Cycle: 2021-2022
Varietals:
Caturra – Typica – Catuai – Geisha
Jaramillo 40 Ha
92 Acres
1,800 Meters Altitude
1st Harvest Cycle: 2023-2024
Varietals:
Geisha – Typica
Our Post-Harvest Processes
Before the coffee is ready to be roasted, it goes through a series of processes in the mill.
These processes allow us to have green coffee as the final product. In the very beginning of the coffee history,
the main way to process this fruit was the “natural” process. Basically, because it requires less equipment.
Using this processing method, which has been used for thousands of years, the coffee cherry is passively dried before removing all its fruity layers of skin and pulp, which leads to a more fruity or fermented flavor profile. Once dried, the layers are then removed.
A washed coffee is a coffee which has had its various fruit layers removed before drying begins. At Cuatro Caminos we remove the mucilage mechanically in order to save water.
An exciting new process created at Cuatro Caminos Coffee Estate, where we ferment coffee cherries in a rotative tank, promoting a homogeneous fermentation.
Traceability
At ICFC, we developed and manage our own Traceability System. Since the very beginning in 2016, we have constantly improved and adapted our proprietary Traceability System with new technologies and strategies.
From the Seed
The Traceability System is a set of established procedures that allow us to know the history, location and trajectory of the coffee along the entire value chain. We manage data from the very beginning starting in our nursery by knowing the origin of our coffees seeds, farms, treatments received on the farms, processing in the mill and storage. Additionally, we keep records of our quality control protocols that we apply to each batch of specialty coffee we produce.
On the Farms
On each farm, we keep a record of all the activities done during each growing cycle. This includes a fertilization program based on plantation age, agricultural activities such as pruning, shade control, weed control, planting of coffee trees and shade trees and harvest protocols, among other activities. All this information is added weekly to our traceability database.
During Processing
From the farm, the harvested coffee goes directly into our own proprietary wet and dry mill. Before the processing starts, we register the origin, varietal and harvest date. During the processing (whether it is natural of washed) the coffee is monitored to ensure the quality of the process.
Professionally Stored
After being dried, the coffee goes directly to our storage, where each batch receives a unique code that provides us with information regarding the origin of the coffee, the varietal, the process at the mill and the storage date. This coding system allows ICFC to treat each lot separately and allows more rigorous quality control. With this system, we can consistently and reliably meet your demands for specialty coffee.
