Eugene Altieri, often referred to as Don Gene, began growing coffee in Boquete over 20 years ago with no prior experience in the industry — just a keen business mind and a clear vision for what the land could become! The Geisha grown here has a storied lineage: Don Gene sourced his seeds directly from the Peterson family of Hacienda La Esmeralda, who reintroduced Geisha to the world in 2004 and took first place at the Best of Panama competition. Today, the family business is run by Don Gene's children, Anna Lynn and Francisco, alongside farm manager Roger Pitti.

The Dilgo plot sits at 1,780 meters above sea level on the slopes of the Barú Volcano — the first Mima Estates lot to be planted with Geisha! In fact, the nickname, Dilgo, belongs to one of founder Eugene Altieri's grandchildren, a personal touch that speaks to how deeply family runs through this farm.

Processing on the Dilgo lot is meticulous and deliberate. After harvest, the cherries undergo flotation to remove low-density fruit before being placed on African beds in a drying greenhouse for four days. Once reaching approximately 45% humidity, the coffee is sealed in Grain Pro bags for two days with the mosto (the juice) of another lot, completing fermentation at low humidity. It then spent 35 days drying at a controlled 18°C and 50% humidity.

Brewing recommendations:

• Rest 18+ days before brewing
• Filter: 12.5g to 200g water | 3–4 pour recipe | 90°C
• Espresso: 1:2.6–2.8 ratio | 91°C | 30–34 seconds

P.S. Want to learn more about Altieri Coffee? We have a full blog post — click here to read more.