Region: Boquete
Altitude: 1400 meters
Producer: Jose Benjamin de Dianous and G.Stefan Arwed Müller
Variety: Typica
Process: Carbonic Maceration Natural
Harvest: 2023 
Score: 88
 
Flavor Notes: Cherry Liqueur - Cocoa - Peach - Lemon Blossom
 
Weight: 200 gram
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​Finca Don Benjie is a magnificent 33-hectare coffee plantation located in the Chiriquí Highlands, north of the town of Boquete, in the Bajo Mono Canyon, at the foot of the Barú Volcano. The ranch is located next to the pristine waters of the Caldera River in the Bajo Mono Canyon and ranges in altitude from 1400 to 1550 metres. Bajo Mono is recognised as one of the best regions for growing high quality coffees due to its volcanic soils, crystal clear spring water fountains, the famous "Bajareque" fog and one of the many microclimates for which the region is famous for speciality coffee growing.
 
The de Dianous family arrived in Boquete in 1914 when Gabriel de Dianous bought the first coffee farm in Bajo Mono. The family has been in the coffee business ever since. The farm was originally owned by Mrs Archer, an American and one of Boquete's pioneers. In the 1980s, Dr Renan Esquivel, a well-known Panamanian paediatrician, bought the farm. He was a nature enthusiast and planted many protected exotic trees, plants and coffee varieties.
 
The farm's mystical location and landscape have become a centre of attraction for tourists, nature and coffee enthusiasts. The new owners, Jose Benjamin de Dianous G. and Stefan Arwed Müller, started running the farm in 2011 and have focused on quality and environmental care. The brand is named "Café Don Benjie" after Benjamin de Dianous Henriquez, known as Don Benjie in the town of Boquete. Benjamin de Dianous was always a coffee enthusiast and contributed to the town of Boquete and the coffee business.
 
The plantation is constantly renewed and always aims for excellent quality, while caring for the environment and the welfare of its workforce. They produce speciality coffees in micro lots using innovative fermentation techniques (Carbonic Maceration, Natural Yeast Fermentations, etc.) to bring out the best of the unique terroir, which is carefully harvested according to the variety and then processed as naturals or washed.
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In the case of these beans, the coffee cherries are picked by hand, carefully selecting the ripe ones. After this stage, the coffee cherries are first cleaned of unnecessary material and the visible green berries are separated. Afterwards, they are transferred to water tanks, where they are subjected to a visual quality control by separating those remaining on the surface.
 
Coffees that successfully complete the quality control process are subjected to carbonic maceration. Carbonic maceration offers more controllability than other anaerobic processes. During this process, the oxygen level in the tanks can be regulated by means of a CO2 pump and can be fully controlled by the producer. While this method requires experience and rigour, it is successfully managed by experts such as the experienced producer Stefan Müller.
 
The fruits are meticulously sorted and cleaned under the supervision of Stefan Müller and fermented in CO2-injected tanks in a completely oxygen-free environment for about 8 days. During the fermentation period, the pH level in the plastic tanks is regularly monitored. At the end of this stage, the fruits reach the optimal pH level (4.5-5.5) determined by Stefan Müller, and after 192 hours of fermentation, they are dried on raised beds to ensure that the flavors and characters of the beans are fully established. The coffee cherries are dried by hand mixed at regular intervals for about 3 weeks until they reach a moisture level of 11% to 12%.
 
The homogeneity of the drying process is one of the key stages in the production of speciality coffee and must be managed very carefully to ensure standardised quality. The homogenously dried cherries are removed from the parchment and rested under special conditions for about 3 months.
 
After going through all these meticulous steps, the coffee cherries are sorted by hand or by machine according to their size and integrity. The meticulously prepared beans are carefully packaged to be delivered to coffee lovers in different parts of the world.
 
- I like the cherry liqueur mentioned in the tasting notes very much for this bean. Since it has a high palatability, I usually widen it with a little more water when brewing. But those who use the "bypass" method can continue with that. It gives good results that way too.
 
- We roast the beans as omniroast. We adjust this roasting degree to reveal the characteristics of the beans at the highest level. Therefore, I recommend you not to ignore the brewing recommendations.
 
Can (Founder)