About This Coffee
This lot comes from Growing Together, a sustainability program launched in 2021 to support coffee-producing communities near Finca Tequendama and Finca Las Isabellas, owned and cultivated by Emilio López and Jose Roberto Santamaría – two modern stalwarts of the El Salvador Coffee scene. While this lot is not produced by them, the Growing Together program reflects their commitment to creating opportunities through collaboration.
The project brings together 63 small and medium-scale farmers who are focused on improving productivity, quality and community well-being. Through Growing Together, producers benefit from agricultural workshops, medical support and youth education programs, all under the shared goal of strengthening rural communities through coffee.
Cultivation
These producers are based in the Apaneca region of Ilamatepec. Coffee is cultivated at altitudes ranging from 1,000 to 1,200 meters and selectively harvested to ensure only ripe cherries are collected.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
Cherries are processed at a central mechanical washing station. After washing, parchment is dried on patios with regular raking to ensure consistency.
About Bourbon
Bourbon is a specialty coffee darling known for its excellent cup quality and good performance at high altitudes. The variety is susceptible to the major diseases, which can make it difficult to grow. Bourbon traces its heritage back to Yemen. French missionaries introduced Bourbon from Yemen to Bourbon Island (now known as La Reunion) in the early 1700s. Bourbon takes its name from the island where it prospered. Bourbon has had a huge effect on modern coffee varieties as one of the major ascensions for many varieties grown across the world. Today, Bourbon is available in both yellow and red varieties.
About Pacas
The Pacas family in the Santa Ana region of El Salvador identified the new Pacas variety in 1949. The family has been cultivating coffee in the region for more than 150 years. In the early 1900s, Fernando Alberto Pacas Figueroa, the grandfather of the current owners, planted Maragogype, San Ramon and Bourbon on their farm, Finca San Rafael. The Pacas family identified the new mutation of Pacas and research was conducted by William Cowgill at the University of Florida.
The Salvadoran Institute for Coffee Research (ISIC) further selected for Pacas in the 1960s. Like Caturra and Villa Sarchi, Pacas has a single-gene mutation that causes smaller plant size. Smaller sized trees enable producers to place trees closer together and increase potential yields. The Pacas variety is widely grown in El Salvador, where it accounts for approximately 25% of total coffee production and in Honduras, where the Honduran Institute of Coffee (IHCAFE) introduced the variety in 1974.
Source: https://perfectdailygrind.com/2015/11/interview-whats-so-special-about-pacamara/
About Odyssey Coffees
Emilio López and Jose Roberto Santamaría come from two multigenerational coffee producing families in El Salvador. Over the years, they have developed a deep connection with their land, and it is precisely because of this that they joined forces to build Odyssey Coffees, an El Salvador and Portland-based coffee operation.
As a result, they consolidated both sides of their businesses; starting with their production operations at Fincas Las Isabellas, Tapantogusto, Las Piedras, La Cumbre, El Manzano and Ayutepeque and tracing their journey up until they reach their destination, either out our warehouses across the U.S., our key partners in Europe or our roasting partners across the world. However, to get to this point, Emilio and Jose Roberto spent 6 months planning the merger, figuring out how to join their respective operations with the goal of providing international markets with impactful and high-quality coffees.
During this time, they worked together to align all farms under the same methodology to ensure that quality is sustainable in the long-term and to widen their coffee offerings for clients worldwide. To further build upon this goal, the newly merged Odyssey team also began working with the communities around Finca Tequendama and Las Isabellas, giving life to our San Jorge blend and our Growing Together program.
Henceforth, Odyssey has focused on growing production operations, fortifying sourcing partnerships and developing new markets alongside our strategic partners.
Coffee in El Salvador
Don’t be fooled by El Salvador’s small size. It was once the 4th largest coffee producer worldwide and continues to produce high quality lots. The country is known for its great cupping varieties, such as Bourbon and Pacamara. In fact, two beloved, frequently high-scoring varieties—Pacas and Pacamara— originated in El Salvador.
Unlike other countries, where specialty coffee production has required a great deal of additional investment and training, El Salvador already has a broad and skilled specialty coffee workforce. Farming traditions run deep, and many Salvadorian farmers are extremely passionate about coffee production and continuously strive to improve their crop. El Salvador has optimal conditions for coffee processing. The prolonged dry season typically occurs during the harvest season, making it easier to sun dry coffee.
Though coffee output in the country has been declining for over two decades – exacerbated by the CLR crisis – the approach to coffee production has changed from volume- to quality-driven. A new generation of coffee producers has sprouted around the country with a new vision and approach to production. Many of this generation are experimenting with processing and varietals.