El Salvador Cup of Excellence #1

Producer Ismael Recinos Flores
Farm Finca La Bendición
Municipality La Palma
Department Chalatenango

Sun Exposure Mixed shade
Farm Size 3.5ha
Altitude 1,900masl
Latitude 14.180342
Longitude -89.098391

Variety Pacamara
Process Honey
Fermentation Dry; in mucilage.
Drying 13-20 days

Harvest Year 2024

Flavor Molasses, Melon, Tamarind, Blackberry, Honeycomb, Lime
Descriptors Long finish, Layered, Well Balanced

Certifications Cup of Excellence El Salvador; 1st place Washed & Honey Category

About this coffee Finca La Bendición is a distinguished coffee farm nestled in Tejutla, Chalatenango, El Salvador, at an elevation of 1,900 meters. Owned and operated by Ismael Flores, the farm spans 5 manzanas and specializes in cultivating varieties like Parainema, Pacamara, Bourbon, and Pacas. Ismael has been growing coffee for 15 years, focusing on meticulous processing methods such as Washed and Honey, resulting in rich, flavorful coffees.

Despite challenges like coffee-leaf rust and weather, Ismael produces up to 130 quintales annually. His dedication to quality has led to remarkable achievements in the Cup of Excellence competitions—securing 2nd place in 2014 and 1st place in 2024 with a Pacamara variety that scored an impressive 92.00. Known for its lively acidity, tropical fruit flavors, and velvety mouthfeel, coffee from La Bendición continues to capture global attention and offers a stable income for Ismael's family and workers.

Ismael’s winning Pacamara was processed as a “Honey” where the coffee is pulped using a disc pulper and small amount of water, but dried in mucilage rather than being washed clean to parchment. This layer of mucilage has a honey-like texture, hence the name, and typically gives a profile that is considered a hybrid of what would be a classic washed and natural.

This coffee was won in the Cup of Excellence auction with our friends in Japan, South Korea and the US. You may notice an unusually high Transportation & Logistics cost; sadly, the exporter made multiple errors and incurred us additional costs upon arrival through customs.