Jorge Raul Rivera - Pacamara Honey

MEET THE PRODUCER | From an early age, Jorge Raul Rivera knew he wanted to build a career in agriculture, but he didn’t start with coffee. In 1979, Jorge and his brother, José Roberto, purchased a farm named Finca Santa Rosa, which produced pine resin when they acquired it. The first Pacamara seeds weren't planted at Finca Santa Rosa until 2003, after Jorge and José attended their first Cup of Excellence auction.

Today, Jorge owns and operates four coffee farms across Chalatenango, and he's made quite a name for himself at those COE auctions. Jorge has won the El Salvador competition a staggering three times in six years, from 2014 to 2019. He’s used his extensive education from an agricultural college in Honduras and the agricultural economics program at LSU to transform a small town agricultural endeavor into an internationally recognized coffee empire.

TRUST THE PROCESS | The honey processing method can be thought of as an "in-between" method of processing, compared to washed and naturally processed coffees. Using this method, the coffee is picked and sorted as red cherries before being pulped, but the small layer of fruit underneath the skin is left behind. The seeds—with their sticky fruit mucilage intact—are set out to dry, either on raised beds or patios. This added contact time between the fruit and the seed adds a characteristic sweetness to honey-processed coffees.

TAKE A SIP | We’ve bought coffee from Jorge Raul Rivera for several years, and 2025 might be his best year yet. All of his coffees showcased more vibrancy, acidity, and complexity than years past, which is to say nothing of previous years’ excellence. Honey-process coffees typically display notes of dried fruit, but this coffee showcases a more vibrant acidity. Strawberry and white wine emerge as products of the fermentation. A confectionary sweetness is present as nougat, which melds with the fruited characteristics to create the flavor of peach tea. To complete the experience, this coffee delivers massive texture. Full and round, the mouthfeel perfectly complements the deep sweetness to make a cup that’s clean, complex, and crushable.

Origin | Chalatenango, El Salvador

Producer | Jorge Raul Rivera

Farm | Finca Santa Rosa

Process | Honey

Variety | Pacamara

Elevation | 1700 MASL

Produced by Jorge Raul Rivera in the Chalatenango region of El Salvador, this Pacamara lot showcases the meticulous craftsmanship of Black & White Coffee Roasters. The coffee is grown at 1700 masl and utilizes the honey process, a technique that sits between washed and natural methods by leaving a portion of the fruit mucilage on the bean during drying. You can learn more about how these processing methods influence the final cup profile in our guide.

The Pacamara varietal is a deliberate cross between the Pacas and Maragogype cultivars, often celebrated for its large bean size and complex, layered acidity. When evaluating the nuanced notes of strawberry, white wine, nougat, and peach tea found in this specific offering, we recommend referencing the flavor wheel to better identify and articulate the diverse sensory characteristics present in such high-quality specialty coffees.