We can’t help but view this stunning washed SL34 from Martin Santos of Finca Esther, Panama, as the natural sequel to our earlier release of Yenitzin de Aguilar’s SL28, also from Panama—both products of our initiative to explore what Panamanian coffee has to offer beyond geisha. As opposed to the super bright, lively profile we found in Yenitzin’s coffee, this one presents much more dark, mellow, and sweet, and just like the SL28, also remains incredibly faithful to Kenyan expressions of the variety. Within the cup, we find sweet, juicy, and dark black plum, which is tempered a bit by crisp, clean, white vanilla which covers the palette. On the finish, we find pleasant hints of black cherry cola, manifesting as an abundance of more dark, juicy fruits, as well as that spice blend unique to a traditional cola. This lot is truly one of a kind, and we couldn’t imagine a better pairing for Yenitzin’s SL28 than this, Martin’s SL34. Martin Santos founded Finca Esther in 2002—alongside Esther Leung—which along with Finca Minerva, and Finca El Salto, make up Mas Cafe. Located at 1.550 masl in Boquete, Finca Esther is extremely well placed in terms of the quality and durability of its terroir, sitting on the slopes of the Baru volcano, which made it an easy decision when Martin and Esther were initially looking for land to make into a coffee farm. This is our very first season working with Martin, directly, and given the quality and uniqueness of not only this offering, but of others that we tasted from him as well, we absolutely cannot wait to continue working with him in the years to come, and with any luck to bring greater attention to the meticulous work he and Esther are doing on their farms. SL34 is an African coffee cultivar of the typica genetic group, prized both for its quality and strong resistance to coffee berry disease. In terms of flavor profile, SL34 is typically light-bodied with an abundance of fresh florals, stone fruit, with potential for tropical fruit and berries. It was first selected from a single tree on the Loresho Estate in Kabete, Kenya by Scott Agricultural Laboratories, and released for cultivation in the late 1930s. Today, most SL34 trees remain confined to Kenya. All coffee is sold whole-bean to reduce oxidization, and increase the longevity of volatile organic compounds.