Nuguo - Who is this "nano lot" producer of Panama Geisha coffee that captivated judges worldwide with completely innovative, phenomenal flavors? 

 

José Manuel Gallardo Gallardo Farm José Manuel Gallardo Araúz Finca Nuguo, Cafe Gallardo The Gallardo farm began producing traditional varieties in 1960 by the Gallardo Family. Fifteen years ago, José Manuel, the current farm owner, introduced Geisha to a farm plot called Nuguo, and the Nuguo brand was born. Nestled deep in the mountains at an altitude of 1,850 meters, Nuguo is located in a lush primary forest with abundant rainfall. They produce coffee through unique cultivation and processing methods in this exceptionally favorable natural environment for coffee growing. In 2021, Nuguo won the Geisha Natural category at the Best of Panama, the world's premier coffee competition, gaining global attention. Best of Panama continued its two-stage judging system from last year, with judging in Panama and "International Judging" using online methods. This year, no interim results were published, and producers of the entered lots remained unknown until the end. In this context, the "insider's secret" Gallardo Farm and José Manuel's Geisha surprised Panama and the global coffee community by winning first place with an outstanding score of 94.75 points. What kind of coffee does José Manuel Gallardo, who created and introduced "Nuguo" to the world, produce? Amid today's challenging circumstances, a new page has been added to the story of Panama's producers who seek to improve the lives of producers and the communities that support them, as well as the natural environment, by pursuing even higher quality and value. Nuguo is located in the mountainous region of Hurtungo in the Renacimiento district of western Panama, near the border with Costa Rica. Like neighboring coffee-producing areas such as the famous Boquete and Volcan, this region is characterized by "micro-climates" created by the collision of winds from the northern Atlantic (Caribbean Sea) and the southern Pacific. The region features diverse weather conditions so varied that even farms just a few kilometers apart may have different climate conditions. Rainfall is also plentiful, with raindrops becoming fine mist, constantly creating what locals call "bajareke," a natural mist that moistens trees, soil, diverse organisms and plants, activating the cycle of nature and, of course, providing unparalleled benefits for coffee growing. José Manuel drives for hours along steep mountain roads and walks around the primary forest at altitudes approaching 2,000 meters, monitoring the forest vegetation, soil, and the coffee trees and seedlings planted there daily, recording data on his smartphone. The coffee cherries that grow on trees scattered throughout this deep forest ripen slowly over time, and each cherry is harvested individually when it is fully ripe, red all the way to the back of the cherry. Apparently, cherries that appear perfectly red at first glance may still be yellow on the back side, or conversely, may be overripe with an intensified color, so they harvest only those cherries that have ripened completely to a clean red color. The post-harvest processing also begins within the same farm plot. For the washed process, after carefully removing the pulp with a manual sorting machine, the beans are placed in wooden boxes on the ground nearby and fermented for 40 hours. For the natural process, the cherries are immediately placed in specialized plastic tanks and fermented for several days. To elaborate further, the tanks are "left" in the shade atop the mountain where Nuguo is located, with an ambient temperature of 16°C. After allowing them to rest there for a few days, he loads them into his car and transports them to the foothills town of David, where they continue to ferment for several more days in an environment with an ambient temperature of 30°C. According to him, through this mix of fermentation times due to temperature differences, he has repeated rigorous verification and trial and error to maximize the flavor of each lot. From seedling growth to the final process before the fruit leaves the land, it matures within the same natural environment as much as possible, and then is meticulously finished "on-site" by hand, down to the level of individual beans. This maximizes the "terroir" of the coffee cherry. The coffee cherries that quietly ripen deep in the forest are like "jewels" created by nature over time. When we taste in our cups the brilliance (aroma) and value (flavor) of these raw gems polished one by one, perhaps we are participating in a cycle that ensures the irreplaceable nature that nurtures the cherries and the livelihood of the people will continue forever. More details about Nuguo, including farm footage and a message from José Manuel, will be released soon. Stay tuned!