714 Panama Tri-Up Project『AMBER』Geisha

＜Tri-Up Project “AMBER”＞

The Tri-Up Project coffee marks its third year in 2026.

This project began in 2023, sparked by Eric from Tri-Up, who began questioning the reality faced by smallholder farmers. He noticed that many farmers were bringing their coffee cherries to processing stations without fully understanding the potential of their own harvest. Seeing this, he felt strongly that “we can make this better together.” With that belief, he started sharing his processing knowledge and working side by side with farmers to improve quality. Rather than simply purchasing coffee, the goal has been to gradually elevate quality year by year while building lasting relationships. The Tri-Up Project was born from this philosophy.

Over the past three years, two natural processing recipes have been developed.

One is “RUBY,” a style aimed at achieving complex and explosive flavor profiles.

The other is “Amber,” a recipe designed to highlight delicacy and the transparent elegance typical of Geisha.

This lot is composed primarily of coffees from three producers. Only carefully selected Geisha cherries, harvested at elevations above 1,600 meters in Boquete, Panama, are used. Built on a natural process, each lot is meticulously crafted following these recipes. Now in its third year, the project has reached a greater level of consistency in quality. Even so, the pursuit of a better cup continues through ongoing experimentation. The vibrant florality and bright acidity unique to this region are expressed clearly, reflecting the producers’ dedication to bringing out the full potential of the coffee.

While the flavor profile has become more stable over time, the same recipe is not simply repeated each year. Last year’s Amber involved gradually stacking the cherries during the later stages of drying, creating more depth in flavor. This year, however, a “Single-layer Natural” method was adopted, where cherries are spread out in a thin layer to prevent overlapping. During the processing period, continuous rainfall posed a challenge, so increasing the distance between cherries helped control fermentation. Understanding what changed and why adds another layer of interest to this project.

The coffee is roasted lightly. With a slightly lower moisture content and a clean Geisha profile, the initial sample roast was approached gently with a longer development, but the result came across slightly muted. By increasing the charge temperature and applying more energy in the early stages of roasting, the profile was adjusted to better highlight the coffee’s flavors and acidity.

Last year’s Amber had a clean and delicate character, reminiscent of a washed process. This year, the natural process expresses itself more clearly, with pronounced berry-like notes. When hot, the cup presents floral and tea-like qualities. As it cools, flavors reminiscent of raspberry and cherry begin to emerge. During cupping after roasting, revisiting the cup once fully cooled revealed an elegant strawberry-like nuance.

This coffee is born from cherries produced by smallholder farmers. Regardless of scale, it reflects the passion and dedication of producers striving to create high-quality coffee. Tri-Up works closely with these farmers to improve quality and pursue better coffee together. We hope you enjoy this cup while reflecting on their ongoing challenge and the future possibilities it represents.