
The Chevas Family
Luis Victor Chevas purchased his first property in Alto Chiquero, Boquete, in the 1970s. As was typical at the time in Boquete, large-scale agriculture was the focus, mostly producing potatoes and onions. After a few years, they expanded their lands into the regions of El Salto and Alto Quiel, giving them three distinct microclimates in the hills surrounding Boquete, with volcanic soils rich with nutrients and organic material.
Chevas Coffee Estate
The farms, which ranged in elevation from 1,500 to 1,750 masl, were already planted with a small assortment of coffee varietals, but it wasn't until 1996 that Luis made the decision to focus on coffee, planting larger coffee lots in each of the three microclimates.
José Luis
In 2016, José Luis, Luis Victor’s grandson, founded Chevas Coffee Estate, at only 18 years old. Jose oversees the farm together with his childhood friend, Adrian Villarreal, the 2020 Panama Barista Champion. As an experienced farmer and a barista, they form a formidable team at each end of the coffee chain, developing their own protocols to raise quality and enhance the sensory experience.
Chevas debuted within the Top 10 at the 2024 Best of Panama, placing 9th in the Geisha Natural category.
Natural Geisha
José Luis represents one of the new generation of Panamanian producers, revering the tradition that has been built here, but bringing new ideas and approaches, resulting in ever more impressive and unique flavour profiles. This natural lot is an excellent example, rested first in open tanks for 12 hours to kickstart fermentation, before drying on raised beds for 7 days. This allows the initial drying to happen quickly, minimising the fermentation that can take place during the later drying, in climate controlled dark rooms. This leads to a softly perfumed natural Geisha profile, with notes of stone fruit and oolong tea.