ABOUTH THE PACAMARA VARIETY Pacamara is a hybrid of the flavorful Pacas and the giant, high-production Maragogype varieties that were first bred in El Salvador in 1958. Its large cherries produce a delicate chocolate and fruit-forward toned cup profile. PROCESS This lot has gone through the wash process, in which the cherries are de-pulped, ferment to break the sticky mucilage remaining the parchment during 52 hours. Next sun dry in rise beds for 15 days.
LOS TAMALES HISTORY: This particular lot has a unique backstory: many years ago, late at night, banditos came to the farm and stole livestock from Los Planes. The following morning, the farmers at that time went to look for their cattle high on the farm. Instead of finding the cattle, they stumbled upon a makeshift campsite with a washed-out fire and tamale wrappers scattered out on the ground. From that day on, this section of Los Planes has been referred to as Cerro Los Tamales, representing the cattle that were lost on that night.
ABOUTH FINCA LOS PLANES: Twenty years ago, our friends Sergio and Isabel Ticas began production on Finca Los Planes in the mountainous region of Chalatenango, El Salvador. Coming from Chalatenango, Sergio was not expected to produce a remarkable coffee. And yet, just six years later, Sergio collected his plaque for 2nd Place in the 2006 El Salvador Cup of Excellence competition. This award, and his remarkable coffee, helped catapult this “no-name” region of El Salvador into a star in the coffee-growing world. We met Sergio and Isabel following their 2nd place finish. Jeff and Sergio quickly became good friends that followed a direct trade relationship for more than a decade. During that first visit, we were immensely impressed by Sergio’s use of the money from the Cup of Excellence competition to improve the beneficio on the farm, thereby improving the processing of future harvests. This showed us their commitment and dedication to quality and constant improvement. On our first visit it was clear to us their commitment to quality and sustainable practices is top priority. They have been engaged in multiple sustainability initiatives over the last few years. Most recently, Finca Los Planes installed a new water recovery system to protect the water supply and purify the water before being released back into the ecosystem. “On that visit, I met a man who has a passion for the land, the people he works with, and the coffee he produces!” ~ Jeff Taylor
