Benjamin Paz - DRD Natural Gesha

Benjamin Paz needs no introduction in specialty coffee circles. He comes from a long line of storied coffee producers in Honduras, has won Honduras COE multiple times, and runs one of the most sought-after exporting businesses in the country. A few weeks ago, at the United States Barista Competition in Denver, Benjamin accomplished yet another remarkable thing: his coffee - this coffee! - took first and second place on the USBC stage. Jak Ryan (Proud Mary) and Jason Yeo (Saint Frank Coffee) both used Ben's DRD Natural Gesha in their barista routines, and they were the last two standing as names were called on Sunday. 

In celebration of them, of Benjamin, and of this historic achievement, we are pulling some of this very special coffee out of the freezer and offering it as a very special, very limited release.

Cheers, champions. 

MEET THE PRODUCER | Benjamin Paz is a cornerstone of Honduran specialty coffee, and we’re not just saying that because he’s a personal friend. A third generation producer with deep roots in both coffee production and exporting, Benjamin began working with the exporting venture, San Vicente, in 2008 and began growing his own coffee four years later. Since those first trees were planted, Benjamin has won the Honduras Cup of Excellence multiple times, including in 2024, when our director and head roaster had the tremendous privilege of celebrating with him in person. 

Away from the cupping table, Ben is an advocate for both environmental stewardship and economic opportunity. On his own farms, he has championed sustainable farming practices and forest conservation initiatives for years. Additionally, through his work with San Vicente, Ben pours a great deal of energy into connecting other local producers to reputable specialty roasters, helping to ensure fair prices for the farmers in his beloved Santa Barbara region.

TRUST THE PROCESS | Originally coined by the Hartman family in Panama about 10 years ago, DRD stands for “dark-room dried,” and it refers to the re-purposing of refrigerated shipping containers as UV-free coffee-drying facilities. To our knowledge, Benjamin and his family are the first producers to attempt this nuanced processing method in Honduras—and they knocked it out of the park.

After being hand-picked and hand-sorted, whole coffee cherries are immediately transported to the dry mill and spread out in refrigerated shipping units that the Paz family acquired from Dole. The containers are outfitted with de-humidifiers and miniature a/c units. Inside, the climate is much cooler (about 17 degrees Celsius, or 63 Fahrenheit) and drier (about 35% humidity) than the Honduran air outside, conditions which slow fermentation and increase drying time. After its stint in the shipping containers was complete, the coffee cherries were transferred to open-air solar tents to finish drying until optimal moisture content was achieved. 

TAKE A SIP | The dark room drying process is key to the profile of this cup. DRD evokes more florality than we’ve tasted in many washed Geshas, despite the intense impact of fermentation. Simultaneously, big fruit flavors dominate the cup, all while avoiding funky notes. It’s clean and fresh while bringing some winey notes forward, yet it never crosses into booziness.

When hot, this coffee gives off a bergamot aroma, blended with tropical fruits. Lychee and mango lock arms with the flavor of grape, uniting to present like a fruit-forward red wine.

When warm, acidity increases. Malic acid takes form in notes of quince and apple, while complex citrus plays off the soft bergamot found in earl grey tea. Floral aromatics and a distinct wine quality persist.

When cool, tropical notes emerge once more, and this time, it’s pineapple on the palate. Red wine continues to wash across the flavor journey, and florals express as rose. The note of earl grey transitions to a full bergamot flavor, while the black tea transitions into a pleasant oolong finish.

Origin | El Cedral,

Produced by Benjamin Paz in the El Cedral region of Honduras, this DRD Natural Gesha represents a meticulous approach to specialty coffee. The Gesha varietal is globally celebrated for its distinct floral aromatics and tea-like clarity, characteristics that are often amplified by careful processing methods. Roasted by Black & White Coffee Roasters, this lot showcases a complex profile ranging from bright tropical fruits like pineapple and mango to delicate floral notes of rose and bergamot.

When evaluating such a diverse array of flavors—including hints of red wine, grape, and oolong—it is helpful to reference a flavor wheel to better identify the nuances present in the cup. While natural-processed coffees often exhibit heavier fruit-forward profiles, the specific DRD technique applied here highlights the inherent elegance of the Gesha bean, resulting in a sophisticated experience that balances acidity with deep, layered sweetness.