El Salvador: Finca Argentina, Yellow Pacamara, Natural

Tasting notes

In the roaster’s words

El Salvador: Finca Argentina, Yellow Pacamara, Natural Fresh, sweet pear fills this elegant cup, but there a restrained funk from the natural process which adds a miso caramel edge to the finish and then a delicate bite of bitter orange on the aftertaste. Roland last visited El Salvador in February as the harvest at Finca Argentina was just coming to an end. The farm is at a lower altitude than other producers we work with in El Salvador, so that shifts the harvests a little earlier than San Jose or Nejapa for example. He travelled with Mauricio to visit the Los Ausoles mill to cup the various fresh lots from the farm and everybody agreed that the Yellow Pacamara was tasting terrific this year. On the table at the time the samples included a Washed and a Natural, both of which cupped very well. You can buy Natural Yellow Pacamara coffee right here. On The Farm Near the town of Turin, in El Salvador's Ahuachapán department, you'll find Finca Argentina. Set within the Cordillera de Apaneca-Ilamatepec and surrounded by natural hot springs, the farm sits at 1,300 metres above sea level. Its 35 hectares are divided into seven distinct areas, or tablons. Each of these plots has its own character, shaped by the landscape and the subtle differences in microclimate that come with changes in altitude, aspect, soil, and even local volcanic activity. Over time, the team at Finca Argentina have invested heavily in exploring different varietals, learning which perform best in each part of the farm. The Martinez Family The farm was first acquired by the Martinez family in 1967. Dr Luis Guillermo Martinez bought the estate, and it quickly became his favourite and produced well. By the time his son, Mauricio, inherited in 2008, the cherry yields had dropped significantly, and he was unsure how best to proceed with his newly owned farm. It was here that his son (and our now good friend) Alejandro stepped in. He had just relocated back to El Salvador after working as a city banker in New York and decided to lend a hand to his father’s business interests while looking for work. Ale’s interest was piqued when he saw that the farm had been classified for a Q auction in 2005, showing it had the potential for great coffee. He and his cousin based in London set about sending green coffee samples to roasters anywhere they could, seeking a specialty buyer. One of those landed with us in 2008 and we’ve been buying ever since. Mauricio and Alejandro both now live in Canada, but Mauric

Notes

Yellow Pacamara lot from Finca Argentina near Turin, El Salvador; farm is divided into seven tablons and owned by the Martinez family.