El Salvador, Finca Don Jaime

Chalatengango, El Salvador

Finca Don Jaime is named for its owner, Jaime Guevara, who grows coffee on 6 manzanas of land, a combination of Pacamara, Pacas, SL-28, and Gesha varieties. Jaime has worked in coffee for nearly 20 years years, after asking his father how to grow and produce it. Jaime’s son told his father, “Dad, when you die, I am going to plant a coffee tree on top of you”—and Jaime takes it as a compliment! Jaime says that growing coffee “is my life, it’s exactly what I want to do.” He loves to be at his farm, and while he has had many jobs in his life, coffee is what makes him happiest.

Natural-process specialty coffees are something of an experiment in El Salvador, but they are increasing in popularity. The coffee is generally picked ripe and sorted for quality, then placed on raised beds or patios to dry for a month or more.

Chalatenango, the “valley of water and sand”, is El Salvador’s coolest and northern-most region. Historically, the country’s top coffees have come from western El Salvador. In 2007, though, a Chalatenango pacamara won the Cup of Excellence bringing the region and variety center stage. We purchased that winning coffee, and promptly went to Chalatenango to cup coffees from more producers. Chalatenango is both special to us, and important to specialty coffee as a whole.