In 2005, Emilio Lopéz Díaz and his team planted a section of the farm with the Pacamara varietal, a cross between the Pacas and Maragogipe varietals that is known for its large coffee seeds and excellent cup quality. This was part of a larger project to update the farm, which has been in the family since 1872, along with updating all of the processing equipment, fermentation tanks, driers, and patios. The goal was to drive coffee quality to its highest level by selecting the right varietals, bringing in top of the line equipment, and making sure everyone involved on the farm had quality training and a vested interest in producing top quality coffees. Three years later Emilio and his team reaped the benefits of these upgrades by winning both First and Second place in the 2018 Cup of Excellence Competition. The lot featured here consists entirely of handpicked ripe Pacamara cherries. Within a few hours of picking, the cherries are placed in a tank to remove any floaters and foreign material before being put through a color sorting machine that then scans and removes any additionally not-quite-ripe-enough cherries. Afterwards, they are placed onto patios to dry for 10-15 days before being milled. The result is an intense, fruit forward cup with notes of red candy, ripe melon, and a balanced caramel sweet finish – a truly beautiful example of a natural Pacamara. This is one of three coffees we bought from Odyssey Coffees this year. Odyssey Coffees is a vertically integrated coffee company bringing some truly unique and vibrant coffees to North America from El Salvador. We absolutely love working with @elopezdiaz @adricalderon1715 and the @odysseycoffees team and are damn excited for you to try all the coffees they’re bringing us.