ONA Coffee Presents: The Illumination of Terroir by Jamison Savage

A Journey Through Terroir: The Story Behind the Coffee

Truly exceptional coffee is a tale of trials and tribulations—it is the result of relentless pursuit, intentional design, with a deep respect for the vastness of land and coffee cultivars that suit it.

In Illumination of Terroir, ONA Coffee and Jamison Savage invite you into a story of persistence, innovation, and the pursuit of perfection.

This collection features three Geisha coffees from Savage’s celebrated farms—Finca Deborah, Iris Estate, and Don Eduardo Estate—each shaped by years of meticulous farming and processing experimentation.

More than any other Geisha release, this is a rare and truly unique opportunity to experience a terroir tasting across three iconic farms in Panama. It's a chance to compare flavour profiles from three of the world's best estates, explore the evolution of Geisha through the illumination process, and taste the diverse expressions that make this collection so special.

The Vision Behind the Coffee: Jamison Savage’s Relentless Pursuit

Jamison Savage’s journey from finance to farming wasn’t just a career shift—it was a complete reinvention of self. Leaving behind the corporate world, he immersed himself in the unpredictable, deeply rewarding world of coffee farming. But producing good coffee wasn’t enough; he wanted to push boundaries, redefine expectations, and elevate coffee to the level of fine wine.

His obsession with quality led to years of research into fermentation science, environmental sustainability, and the nuances of soil biology. Through countless challenges—from climate unpredictability to the painstaking trial-and-error of Carbonic Maceration—Savage has carved out a legacy as one of the most innovative producers in the specialty coffee world.

The Illumination Process: A Tale of fine-tuning

The Illumination process wasn’t perfected overnight. It was the result of years spent fine-tuning fermentation, experimenting with temperature controls, and finding the precise conditions that would amplify the brightness, acidity, and complexity of each farm’s Geisha.

Borrowing from the world of fine wine, Savage adapted Carbonic Maceration—a technique used in fermentation-driven winemaking—to coffee, but it took countless trials to get right.

• Trial & Error in Harvesting: The perfect sugar content window is narrow; harvesting too early or too late meant sacrificing clarity.
• Fermentation Challenges: CO2-infused tanks required meticulous monitoring—too much pressure, and off-flavours developed; too little, and fermentation was inconsistent.
• Balancing Extended Fermentation: Over 50 hours of fermentation was an ambitious goal, but pushing the limits meant maximising complexity without compromising balance.
• Mastering Slow Drying: The three-tiered drying process took years to refine—over-drying led to loss of aromatics, while under-drying risked instability in aging.

The process itself is a testament to innovation, but more importantly, it ensures that what’s in your cup is the purest expression of terroir possible.

From Earth to Cup: The Challenges of Cultivation

Finca Deborah: A Rainforest’s Struggle to Nurture Coffee – 1,700-2,000 masl | Volcán, Chiriquí

Finca Deborah sits at the edge of the world—enveloped in mist, shielded by ancient cloud forests, and battered by the unpredictability of nature. The challenge here has never been growing coffee, but rather growing it well under extreme conditions. Rainfall is abundant, sunlight is fleeting, and temperature shifts demand constant adaptation.

To craft a Geisha that embodies the purity of this land, Savage implemented innovative shade-growing techniques, allowing cherries to develop slowly, enhancing their complexity. Each harvest is a battle against time and weather, but the result—a Geisha with jasmine, citrus, and honeyed sweetness—is proof that patience pays off.

Iris Estate: The Highest Geisha Farm in Latin America—And the Most Demanding – 2,300 masl | Panama’s Highest Coffee Farm

Iris Estate pushes the limits of high-altitude coffee cultivation. At 2,300 MASL, it holds the title of the highest coffee farm in Panama, but with that elevation comes relentless challenges: oxygen is scarce, temperatures drop dramatically at night, and fruit maturation slows to an agonising pace. The very conditions that make this farm unique also make it one of the hardest places in the world to grow coffee.

To combat these obstacles, Savage and his team refined their farming approach—strategic planting to optimise sunlight, adjusting fermentation techniques to complement the farm’s slow-ripening fruit, and fine-tuning drying methods to prevent overexposure. The result is a Geisha that carries stone fruit, deep floral complexity, and a structure unlike any other.

Don Eduardo Estate: The Youngest Farm, The Steepest Learning Curve – 1,850 masl | Boquete, Panama

Unlike the established legacy of Finca Deborah and the extreme altitude of Iris Estate, Don Eduardo Estate is still finding its voice. Founded in 2017, this farm was built from the ground up, a raw canvas for experimentation. The soil was rich but untested, the climate stable yet unpredictable. Every planting decision, from spacing to varietal selection, carried risk.

Unlike the other farms, Don Eduardo’s challenge wasn’t battling extreme weather—it was understanding how to shape an identity from scratch. By integrating lessons learned from his other estates, Savage refined Don Eduardo’s farming and processing techniques to create a Geisha that surprises even seasoned coffee professionals. Lavender, plum, and pomegranate shine through, a reflection of a terroir still defining itself.

Your taste experience of Terrain and Terroir

Illumination of Terroir is more than a showcase of three exceptional coffees; it’s an invitation to experience coffee as a story—one told through the land, the struggles of cultivation, and the triumph of flavour. Each farm presents a different chapter, each cup a different lesson in terroir’s influence.

For those who seek more than just a cup of coffee but a journey into what makes it extraordinary, this release is for you.