Panama - Side B - Cascara Tea

Cascara is the dried skin or husk of coffee cherries, the fruit that surrounds coffee beans.  Cascara, which means "husk" or "shell" in Spanish, is brewed as a tea-like beverage rather than prepared like coffee. It has a mild caffeine content, much lower than that of coffee, and is enjoyed hot or cold. Its use aligns with sustainability practices in coffee farming since it makes use of a part of the plant that might otherwise go to waste. In some coffee-growing regions, cascara has been consumed for centuries, but its popularity has surged recently among coffee enthusiasts and tea drinkers alike.

Finca Iris Estate, located in the Volcán region of Panama at altitudes between 1,850 and 2,300 meters, represents a new vision for specialty coffee production. Founded by Jamison Savage, Saša Šestić, and Elvin Siew, the estate focuses on allowing the coffee to express the natural terroir by preserving the ecosystem. This method, combined with careful, innovative processing techniques, produces some of the finest Geisha coffees in the world.

Their cascara, made from naturally processed Geisha cherries, offers a unique flavour profile with notes of jasmine, honey, orange blossom, hibiscus, and blood orange. The meticulous processing, from harvesting to slow drying in controlled conditions, ensures a refined and elegant flavour experience that reflects the volcanic soils and high-altitude environment of the estate.

Finca Iris aims to connect consumers with producers through transparency and sustainability, ensuring the future of specialty coffee agriculture while celebrating the unique flavours born from Panama’s volcanic landscape. Their approach exemplifies how minimal interference with nature can lead to exquisite coffee that reflects its environment, fostering a deeper appreciation for the craft of coffee cultivation.

Coffee cherry pulp, typically an abundant by product of coffee processing, is often repurposed in a variety of ways; however, it is most commonly used as compost or organic fertiliser to enrich soil, promoting sustainable farming practices. Alternatively, coffee cherry pulp can be transformed into cascara, a tea-like beverage made from the dried skin of the cherries. Especially when exotic and low-yielding varieties are used, such as Geisha, compost seems like a bit of a waste! Cascara is gaining popularity in specialty coffee markets for its unique flavours, versatility, and sustainability.

We’ve selected this tisane through Project Origin, an importer who shares our commitment to quality, economic sustainability, and environmental sustainability. They ensure farmers are paid premium prices for their premium coffees and support community and farm-based projects at origin.