Roberto Brenes (Auromar)

Description

Tastes Like: Mango, Raspberry, Geranium

Origin: Finca Auromar, Volcán, Chiriquí, Panama

Variety: Gesha

Producer: Roberto Brenes

Elevation: 1,570–1,770 masl

Process: Natural

About Finca Auromar

Auromar Panama is a Brenes-Eleta family coffee project established by Roberto Brenes in 2006 following a long career in finance. Its principal property, Finca La Aurora, is located in Piedra Candela near Volcán, Chiriquí. The 30.5-hectare farm ranges from 1,570 to 1,770 meters above sea level, with 14.5 hectares cultivated in its lower elevations and the upper portion maintained as highland tropical forest.

Native tree species and high-altitude Hass avocado trees form a relatively heavy shade canopy across the cultivated area, helping reduce sharp temperature changes between day and night. The farm’s late harvest also overlaps with a seasonal decline in humidity and the dry, sunny period that continues into April. Auromar reports using picking incentives, technical training, and educational support for Ngäbe-Buglé workers and their families, and states that the farm operates without child labor.

Variety

Gesha is a tall, relatively low-yielding Arabica variety recognized for its exceptional quality potential when cultivated at high elevation. It is frequently associated with pronounced floral aromatics, jasmine, delicate fruit, and an articulate acidity, although its expression depends on the growing environment, harvest, processing, and roasting.

In this coffee, mango and raspberry give the variety a more saturated fruit profile, while the geranium note preserves the lifted floral character associated with high-elevation Panamanian Gesha.

Processing

For its natural coffees, Auromar selects very ripe cherries from the middle and later portions of the harvest. The cherries remain whole and are spread on raised African beds at the farm, allowing air and light to circulate above and below the fruit. Auromar reports that drying typically takes between 20 and 30 days, depending on weather conditions.

Keeping the fruit around the seed throughout drying can increase fruit intensity, sweetness, and body. Careful selection of ripe cherries and controlled drying are particularly important for maintaining clarity and defined floral aromatics in a variety as expressive as Gesha.

Text from Hydrangea Coffee Roasters' listing.