Divisadero – El Salvador

Mauricio planted cypress, pine and inga trees to offer ideal shade cover for growing coffee. The region’s rich volcanic soil provides plenty of nutrients. In addition to the Bourbon and Pacas in this lot, Mauricio also cultivates Yellow Icatu, Pacamara, Maragogype and Caturra varieties.

Ripe, red cherry is selectively handpicked when ripe and remain separated by day of picking. Cherries are hand sorted to remove under- and over-ripe cherries and select cherries between 18-22ºBrix and processed at Divisadero micromill. Located in Ataco, a neighboring region in Apaneca-Illamatepec Mountain Range, the microclimate is ideal for processing coffee cherry. At the micromill, cherry is laid in thick layers on raised beds. For the first few days, these thick layers will enhance flavor by promoting light fermentation in the cherry. After a few days, cherry is spread in thin layers and turned frequently to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 23 to 25 days to dry.

Cupping score: 87.00

Farm: Finca Himalaya
Producer: Mauricio Salaverria
Region: Ataco
Altitude: 1500 – 1600 MASL
Variety: Bourbon, Pacas
Processing: natural

Bourbon – The Bourbon variety is a significant Arabica coffee type, known for its sweetness with notes of brown sugar and fruit like cherry and peach. It’s a parent to many other varieties and often delivers a well-rounded, balanced cup.

Pacas – a naturally occurring mutation of the Bourbon coffee variety, discovered in El Salvador in the 1940s by the Pacas family (hence the name!). It’s known for its compact size, making it easier to harvest, and often exhibits a balanced flavor profile with sweetness and mild acidity, similar to its Bourbon parent.

Natural process, also known as dry process, is a traditional coffee processing method where the coffee cherries are dried whole in the sun, allowing the beans to ferment inside the fruit. This results in a coffee with pronounced fruity and sweet flavors, often described as having notes of berries, jam, and a heavier body.