How the auction works
Producers submit lots to a professional cupping competition; the top lots go to an online international auction where registered bidders worldwide compete for them. Results and registration run through the competition's official site, bestofpanama.org. Beyond BOP, leading estates have built their own sales channels: Hacienda La Esmeralda has held its own annual online auction every year since 2007, Lamastus Family Estates runs a private auction, and Finca Sophia releases its entire harvest each year as one whole-harvest offering.
The record progression
2017: Hacienda La Esmeralda's natural Geisha sets a record at $601 per pound. 2023: Carmen Estate's washed Geisha reaches $10,005 per kilogram. 2024: Lamastus' Elida Geisha Natural Vuelta takes the record at $10,013 per kilogram. 2025: Hacienda La Esmeralda reclaims it — a washed Geisha lot (GW-01) sells to Julith Coffee of Dubai for $30,204 per kilogram, while the estate's 97-point natural lot brings $23,608 per kilogram and its Laurina lot tops the Varietals category at $8,040 per kilogram. In 2026, the auction ran as 'Timeless Resonance: The Trilogy' on September 23: Elida Estate's Geisha Torre washed lot topped it at $17,000 per kilogram, with Esmeralda's washed Geisha at $10,010 and Elida's Vuelta natural at $10,008 — strong prices, but below the 2025 record.
Why it matters
The auction is price discovery for an entire origin: it sets reference prices producers can negotiate from, and it gives small farms direct access to international buyers without intermediaries. For consumers, it is also a caution — a record lot is a collector's item, not a benchmark for everyday drinking. Excellent Panama coffee sells for far less than the records; our marketplace listings point to verified sellers with prices dated to when we checked them.