Boquete Valley Ruiz Coffee Shop
Boquete Valley Ruiz Coffee Shop
5
About
The Family Ruiz Coffee Farm Experience is the oldest coffee tour in Boquete, Panama. Since 1996 have we been offering guided visits and have shared our knowledge with guests from around the world. Our guided visits are on a personal level. We want you to experience and enjoy coffee and learn everything that is there to know about the harvesting, processing, roasting tasting, and also, the national history of coffee. The visit roughly takes three to four hours and you will be visiting the Damarli Estate Specialty Coffee Farm, famous for its high-quality coffee varietals. A little bit about the Ruiz Family: Already in the fifth generation of coffee people, the Ruiz family started to grow coffee in the late 1800s. The family has earned an excellent reputation in the coffee world and is well known for quality, consistency and a willingness to test new grounds in processing.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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5.0
209 reviews
Excellent
170
Very good
34
Average
3
Poor
1
Terrible
1
Liz P
Garner, NC27 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
Carlos was tge guide and besides having an amazing knowledge of the entire coffee growing and processing industry he was really very funny and kept us laughing.
He also gave us great insights into the local indigenous people.
An amazing tour well worth the cost !!
He also gave us great insights into the local indigenous people.
An amazing tour well worth the cost !!
Written 25 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
FervidusHumanus
Panama City, Panama69 contributions
Nov 2021
The Ngabe-Bugle gentleman who gave our tour was excellent. He was knowledgeable in the Ruiz Coffee Company, coffee in general, and also knew a few different languages. He told a lot of jokes along the way to keep us interested, and while I could tell he had rehearsed those jokes many times, they were still funny. It was just my wife and I on the tour, but he still took his time to show us everything. Even though it was raining, we went into the plantation and got to look at the coffee plants and other plants and the drying beds, and take a look, take photos, etc. It was very empty due to the rain, so no crowd at all - and still enjoyable. At the end, we had the tasting, which was actually the least interesting part, because there were just 3 different samples. The best part was his in-depth knowledge of the coffee business, the history of Ruiz and Geisha coffee in Panama, and showing us examples of different ways of making the coffee, etc.
Written 3 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Macpen2014
Chicago, IL151 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
Carlos made this tour informative and fun for us. He has a great sense of humor and great knowledge of the coffee processing steps. Ater hearing of the manual labor and numerous steps involved, it makes you appreciate a cup of coffee even more. Interesting to find out that "reject" beans are used for instants and lesser ground coffees. We also toured a factory that had shut down suddenly 20 years ago with the processing machines still full of coffee beans that were never used. It was like visiting a coffee cemetary and left you a bit sad. A coffee tasting is included at the end at the Ruiz cafe.
Written 8 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elle G
1 contribution
Aug 2021 • Family
Looking for a coffee tour in Boquete? Look no more! We have done this coffee tour twice and have loved it. Our tour guide Carlos is awesome and was able to communicate with our Spanish and English speaking group. Funny and great. He gave us a deep knowledge of coffee. I will definitely never drink coffee the same.
Written 23 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Špela G
Slovenia39 contributions
Sept 2021 • Friends
It was one of the best tours I have taken ever. Carlos, our guide, is very knowledgeable, funny. He showed the process of coffee making, explained the differences between sorts, what influences the taste etc.
The tasting was a top notch!
The tasting was a top notch!
Written 30 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jackielyn8
Washington DC, District of Columbia14 contributions
Apr 2011
I was directed towards this tour from my hotel, the Boquete Garden Inn and was pleasantly surprised with the quality and information provided by the tour. Our guide, Carlos, picked us up from our hotel and brought us to a small coffee shop run by Ruiz, a VERY active and friendly 80-year old who owns the most expensive coffee in the world at $182/pound (don't worry, there is coffee at normal prices to purchase, although after the tour ended we were all given a gift bag of goodies that included a pound of some of the best coffee I'VE every tasted!)
We met with one other couple and Carlos drove us to one of their farms. He explained the entire (FASCINATING) process of planting and processing the coffee bean. The tour brought us through the nursery of plants, explained the 16-step process from picking a bean to roasting (the least important of all the steps incidentally), and brought us to three separate facilities where the steps happen. The tour finished with an "aroma" test (Carlos used to be an aroma/flavor tester and his insights into the smells particular beans exhibit was amazing), and a taste test of different roasts (European, Latin, and French).
Although coffee was the main focus, Carlos also told our inquisitive group about the 40 varieties of trees the farm houses and how specific plants were designed to make the farm a complete ecosystem along with the chickens and other animals that roam. Some of the trees included avocado, mango, lemon, rhubarb, and a variety that I was unfamiliar with, including a VERY hot pepper plant with tiny 5mm red peppers that we got to try, a popular bean in Boquete around Christmas, and a tree (the name escapes me) that has fruit that looks like lychees (although do NOT try this - it is poisonous!).
Carlos also told us A LOT about the culture of Boquete, making it a "can't miss tour". As a native Indian from Boquete (Ngobe I believe), he told us about how Boquete used to be, the new gated communities and "ex-pats" that live there now, the floods, and the tremendous impact Mr. Ruiz has on the Indian communities that still exist (in a VERY positive way).
Overall, it was the best thing we did and the cheapest tour we took. I think it was under $30 per person. The coffee they gave us at the end probably cost more!
We met with one other couple and Carlos drove us to one of their farms. He explained the entire (FASCINATING) process of planting and processing the coffee bean. The tour brought us through the nursery of plants, explained the 16-step process from picking a bean to roasting (the least important of all the steps incidentally), and brought us to three separate facilities where the steps happen. The tour finished with an "aroma" test (Carlos used to be an aroma/flavor tester and his insights into the smells particular beans exhibit was amazing), and a taste test of different roasts (European, Latin, and French).
Although coffee was the main focus, Carlos also told our inquisitive group about the 40 varieties of trees the farm houses and how specific plants were designed to make the farm a complete ecosystem along with the chickens and other animals that roam. Some of the trees included avocado, mango, lemon, rhubarb, and a variety that I was unfamiliar with, including a VERY hot pepper plant with tiny 5mm red peppers that we got to try, a popular bean in Boquete around Christmas, and a tree (the name escapes me) that has fruit that looks like lychees (although do NOT try this - it is poisonous!).
Carlos also told us A LOT about the culture of Boquete, making it a "can't miss tour". As a native Indian from Boquete (Ngobe I believe), he told us about how Boquete used to be, the new gated communities and "ex-pats" that live there now, the floods, and the tremendous impact Mr. Ruiz has on the Indian communities that still exist (in a VERY positive way).
Overall, it was the best thing we did and the cheapest tour we took. I think it was under $30 per person. The coffee they gave us at the end probably cost more!
Written 13 April 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
thepits
Cotswolds, UK481 contributions
Jun 2019 • Couples
Carlos the guide is an absolute hoot with his humour and knowledge of the coffee growing in the Broquete region. Excellent English. Very willing to trade stories and experiences with us as we effectively had a private tour due to the afternoon session in the rainy season. The other reviews give what he covers but in additional we were fascinated by the changing face of his home town with approx a third of the population now ex pats paying big bucks for houses on former coffee plantations. Visit now because who knows how much longer it will be here. Ruiz coffee has a good approach to the environment and their history so hopefully will be around for the future. Throughly recommend this tour.
Written 26 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maria
Munich, Germany237 contributions
May 2019 • Couples
We did the tour with Carlos, because of the low season we had a private tour and it was perfect. He showed us the birth house of Mister Ruiz and the first plantations. Also he told us a lot about the region of Boquete, the process of coffee and the life in Panama. He explained everything really detailed and repeated it so we could remember it. After visiting the house we drove to the Cafe where the seeds are dryed and packed. We also had a tasting, what was really funny because I had never drank coffee before. Very intreseting experience, but I bought the tea from the skin and my boyfriend got some light roasted coffee that Carlos recommended.
Written 3 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Emyr P
Llanelli, UK7 contributions
Mar 2017 • Couples
As a Geography teacher I've always had an interest in telling pupils about coffee growing - usually Brazil. This tour in Boquete Panama answered all my questions and included facts and information that you can't read anywhere. Carlos our guide had excellent English and gave us a fascinating tour that included the background to the farm, the history and development of the estate, the processes and costs involved in the industry. We were there for about 3 hours and then tasted various coffees at the shop in Boquete - a must do tour if you have the chance !!
We learnt a lot about life in Panama as well as Boquete
We learnt a lot about life in Panama as well as Boquete
Written 24 March 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Martin J
Elzach, Germany41 contributions
Dec 2015 • Couples
Our tour with Carlos has been great. He took the time to explain very well about the process of getting the beans to the cup.
Lessons learned:
- No Georges Clooney coffee
- Dark roasted means more bitter and less caffeine
- Starbucks makes coffee for people that don't like coffee
:D
Thanks, Carlos!
Patricia & Martin
Lessons learned:
- No Georges Clooney coffee
- Dark roasted means more bitter and less caffeine
- Starbucks makes coffee for people that don't like coffee
:D
Thanks, Carlos!
Patricia & Martin
Written 5 December 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
wanted to know, since I am a decaf coffee drinker, if you have decaf coffee beans? Do not know much about coffee so need your help here. If so I will come a buy some from you. Thank you, Helen Garcia
Written 24 October 2016
What time does the tour start & finish?
Written 5 March 2016
Is the tour available every day of the week ?
Written 25 February 2016
Yes, as long as they enough to fill the tour van, we were told (we had 5 of us on our tour). If the weather was too rainy/dangerous (as you do walk around amongst the coffee bean trees it might be cancelled).
Written 26 February 2016
We will be in Boquette January 25-Feb 1. Do we need advance reservations for the Coffee tasting tour?
Written 9 January 2015
We reserved that day and we were there the week of Christmas.
I can't imagine that there is a better coffee tour in town, so I would reserve early to guarantee your spot.
Carlos was our guide and he was terrific!
Written 9 January 2015
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