Flavor Notes

Dried Dates

Orange

Tamarind

Dried Dates, Orange, Tamarind

10oz El Salvador Malacara SL-28
El Salvador Malacara SL-28

Roast Level: Comforting

  • 3

    Bright

  • 2

    Comforting

  • 0

    Traditional

$25

We accompanied Epe Alvarez when he first planted this coveted Kenyan variety in the volcanic soils of Finca Malacara. More than a decade later, this washed SL-28 remains a staple of our single origin menu.

1

Roast Level: Comforting

  • 3

    Bright

  • 2

    Comforting

  • 0

    Traditional

We accompanied Epe Alvarez when he first planted this coveted Kenyan variety in the volcanic soils of Finca Malacara. More than a decade later, this washed SL-28 remains a staple of our single origin menu.

Dried Dates

Orange

Tamarind

The details

Origin story

  • Country El Salvador
  • Producer Jose Guillermo 'Epe' Alvarez
  • Region Santa Ana
  • Elevation Range 1650 m
  • Processing Method Washed
  • Drying Method Raised Bed
  • Harvest January - April 2026
  • Direct Trade Partner Since 2003
In Season
Direct Trade
Jose Guillermo 'Epe' Alvarez is the fourth-generation steward of Finca Malacara, one of El Salvador’s most venerable coffee estates. Established by the Alvarez family in 1888, the farm sits near the north slope of the Santa Ana volcano. Malacara’s reputation for quality dates back more than a century, with its coffee earning a gold medal at the 1900 World’s Fair in Paris. That legacy continues under Epe, and we accompanied him when he first planted this SL-28 variety alongside the storied Bourbon trees that have long been cultivated at Malacara. Coveted for its remarkable quality in Kenya, SL-28 has found compelling expression at Malacara. It has been a staple of our single origin menu for more than a decade.
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How To Brew

We recommend starting with a 1:18 coffee-to-water ratio, which provides an excellent total extraction level and maximizes flavor pulled out of the ground coffee. For our single origin coffees we recommend a pour over method either on a Chemex, V60 or Kalita Wave on a 5 or 6 grind setting if you are ordering from Intelligentsiacoffee.com.

Recommended Method Pour Over

  1. 01.
    Boil Water 205 - 216 F
  2. 02.
    Weigh Coffee 1g of coffee per 18g of water
  3. 03.
    Drop In Filter Add filter to equipment
  4. 04.
    Grind Coffee Grind coffee and add to filter
  5. 05.
    Add Water Add water in stages
  6. 06.
    Remove Filter Enjoy your coffee!
Details on how to brew
Image of pour over demonstration
Image of two growers hugging in field
Image of two growers hugging in field
Image of the sky and mountains landscape
Image of the sky and mountains landscape
Image of growers sorting coffee beans
Image of growers sorting coffee beans

Why We're Different

Intelligentsia coffee buyers travel year-round working with a network of farmers. From the farm, coffee arrives at the roasting works in Chicago, where coffee professionals cup, grade, and release over 50 single-origins and blends annually.

10oz El Salvador Malacara SL-28
El Salvador Malacara SL-28