The Variety

A Storied Past

This farm Jose Guillermo ‘Epe’ Alvarez is balancing tradition with innovation at Finca Malacara, the fabled Salvadoran coffee estate established by his great-grandparents in 1888.

Back then, the stately Bourbon cultivar was dominant in El Salvador, and a key part of the country’s claims to be the source of the world’s finest coffee. So, the Alvarez family planted Bourbon and nothing else. The wisdom of the selection seemed to be confirmed when their coffee won a gold medal at the 1900 world’s fair in Paris.

Adapt and Innovate

As the fourth-generation steward of the farm, Epe honors the Malacara tradition with a continued commitment to the Bourbon cultivar that first made his family’s farm famous. However, just over a decade ago, he began planting new coffee varieties to seize opportunities in a marketplace that was beginning to explore the interactions between coffee genetics and terroir, and to reward diversity of flavor. To produce tastes Bourbon could not, Epe planted Geisha, descended directly from the forests of Ethiopia, and SL-28 seed from Kenya.

Situated near the north face of the Santa Ana volcano, or Volcan Ilamatepec, the farm’s volcanic soil and shade-grown landscape have proven to be well-suited for cultivating these new varieties, expanding the diversity of flavor and expression of place that we have enjoyed since Intelligentsia sourced our first coffee from Malacara in 2003. As part of his continued commitment to innovation in the name of quality, Epe grades the freshly picked cherry by ripeness as it is delivered to the mill, allowing lots such as this one to be processed with only perfectly ripe fruit.

A testament to their commitment to learning and innovation, Malacara has joined us for every Extraordinary Coffee Workshop, and even hosted the event on their farm in 2010, showcasing their meticulous approach to cherry selection and processing.

Direct Trade for the Long Haul

The relationship between Intelligentsia and Finca Malacara is a true representation of what is possible with, and special about, Direct Trade. The first year we purchased coffee from Finca Malacara was 2003, which was also the year they received the prestigious Presidential Award at El Salvador's Cup of Excellence competition. We have continued to work with the Alvarez family since that win more than twenty years ago. As time has gone on, both of us have adapted and evolved with the times, never losing the initial spark of passion that continues to fuel our parallel quests for producing and sourcing extraordinary coffees.

This year marks the eleventh that we are offering Malacara's SL-28. In line with the spirit and history of the farm, it is a tradition we plan to continue for years to come.

Look for

Orange | Black Tea | Caramel

This Coffee is Direct Trade and in Season.

Shop this Post

Recommended Searches