PANAMA LERIDA ESTATE

It all began in 1911 when Toleff Bache Mönniche, a Norwegian engineer and graduate of the Royal College of Dresden, Germany, traveled to the Highlands of Chiriquí. He sailed along the Pacific coast for 7 days and rode uphill for hours to reach a place that is still unique in the world today: Lérida Coffee Farm. A magical space amidst the immense slopes of Volcán Barú and the high ridges of the Central Mountain Range.

In 1924, engineer Mönniche finally retired from his work on the construction of the Panama Canal and, together with his wife Julia, moved to Lérida Coffee Farm. Here, he hand-built his house in a Norwegian rural style, where The Casa Centenaria, remains a part of the Finca Lérida Boutique Hotel and is available to stay in today.

Here, he designed and patented the “siphon”, a device that is currently used throughout the world and continues to be used in the mill he built with his own hands. Thus, Finca Lérida became the first Panamanian specialty coffee plantation for export.

Process:

Natural: Drying is done with the cherry’s entire skin intact to capture its fruity and sweet flavors. The resulting coffee beverage is notably distinct. This type of coffee has gained popularity in Asian markets, as it utilizes the flavor of the cherry skin in the cup.