Graciano Cruz
The first coffees in our new series are roasted! We are incredibly excited that one of them is this fantastic naturally processed Yellow Catuai, previously known as Panama Pineapple Thief. The coffee has been a recurring favourite in our selection for many years and this year's harvest gives us fruity and floral flavours with sweet passion fruit and a little hint of raspberry.
Graciano Cruz's Emporium farm is located on the slopes of the Barú volcano in Panama, ranging from 1600 up to 1800 metres in elevation. Emporium is the smaller of Graciano's two farms, with 14 hectares dedicated to coffee cultivation. The remaining expanse is primarily lush forest, creating a home to over 40% more insects and 20% more birds compared to aver-age farms. However, calling it just a farm would be an understatement; it's more like a verita-ble jungle with incredibly rich plant and animal life. Today, the farm primarily cultivates Typica, Yellow Catuai, and Geisha varieties.
Our relationship with Graciano is as old as Johan & Nyström; we've been working together since our start nearly 20 years ago. When he first started producing his coffee as natural and honeys, many shook their heads - coffee from Panama wasn't meant to taste like that!? Nevertheless, Graciano dared to forge his path, and many producers have followed in his footsteps since then. Today, these coffees command some of the highest prices in the world!
The profile of this very special coffee from Graciano varies more than other coffees from year to year. It depends on everything from the farm's climate to small variations and experimentation in Graciano's processing methods. For this reason, we experiment with the roast every year to find the perfect roast profile. This year's coffee, we've chosen to roast with a short and aggres-sive profile to bring out the fruity and floral flavours in the best way.
Origin: Boquete, Panama
Producer: Graciano Cruz
Farm: Emporium
Altitude: 1800 m
Variety: Yellow Catuai
Process: Natural
Flavours: Fruity and floral flavours with sweet passion fruit and a little raspberry
GRACIANO CRUZ
Graciano Cruz stands among the most esteemed coffee producers worldwide, renowned for his exceptional work across farms in Panama, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Peru, Taiwan, and Brazil. With a deep commitment to ecological agriculture and the natural processing method, Graciano embodies a true inspiration in the coffee industry. His unwavering pas-sion lies in the production of natural and honey-processed coffees, where not a single drop of water is utilized in the processing stage. Instead, coffee cherries undergo meticulous drying on raised beds, ensuring even and thorough dehydration. Under Graciano's careful supervision, the cherries dry slowly on these specialized beds, facilitating optimal air circulation and shielding them from any potential mold development. This precise and attentive process yields an exquisite cup, characterized by vibrant acidity, deep sweetness, and nuances of tropical fruit.
Exceptional coffee starts at the origin. The Farmers series is a tribute to the skilled and dedicated producers which we have a close relationship with. For this series, we purchase limited quantities of specific lots that really stand out when we taste them. It could be the variety or a specific part of the farm that truly brings out the best in the coffee. The flavours of these coffees are often sweet and floral, with hints of fruit or berries, broadening the horizons on what coffee can taste like. It is with a lot of pride we highlight our producers and their incredible craftsmanship through the coffees in the Farmers series.
We have four different coffee series, from House where the flavours are more familiar, to Prime which offers the absolute top tier of specialty coffee quality.
The House series is the foundation we stand upon, featuring specialty coffees from some of the 15 producers we work with closely, all among the best in the world. Each coffee offers a unique blend and flavour profile, and with such variety in the series, we dare say there’s a taste for (almost) everyone. To follow the harvest seasons, we rotate the origin and recipe throughout the year. This ensures the coffee is always fresh, the flavours consistent, and the cup truly delightful! In this series, you’ll find various espresso and filter coffees, both as whole beans and ground.
The Flavours series is where we truly elevate the natural flavours of each coffee. Most of the coffees are single origin, but as the contents of the product change with harvest seasons, occasionally a blend might better suit the flavour profile. Flavours is perfect for those seeking an exceptional cup where the coffee’s unique taste and character truly gets to shine!
The Farmers series is a tribute to the skilled and dedicated producers which we have a close relationship with. For this series, we purchase limited quantities of specific lots that really stand out when we taste them. It could be the variety or a specific part of the farm that truly brings out the best in the coffee. The flavours of these coffees are often sweet and floral, with hints of fruit or berries, broadening the horizons on what coffee can taste like. It is with a lot of pride we highlight our producers and their incredible craftsmanship.
The Prime series is the top tier of specialty coffee. These coffees are of unmatched quality and flavour and drinking them is an experience itself. Sourced only 3-4 times a year, our Prime coffees are extremely limited and highly coveted, with only around 200 bags available of each. These coffees are often of exclusive and rare varieties and produced using modern and innovative methods. For those seeking the ultimate coffee experience, our Prime series is sure to satisfy even the most refined palates.
We specialize in specialty coffee, which means that all the coffee we purchase scores at least 80 points on a 100-point scale – a grading system established by the international coffee organization SCA.
We hold high standards for the producers we work with, both in terms of sustainability and quality. Both aspects demand more and come at a cost, which we gladly pay. The right price is worth every cent!
10 years or more – that's how long we have been working with several of our producers. Simply because they are the best, and we know and trust each other. When we begin new collaborations, which also happens from time to time, we do so with the intention of celebrating 10 years and beyond with them as well. Our close and longstanding relationships are built on a shared philosophy and a desire to improve the conditions for coffee farmers worldwide. Through sustainability and quality!
