WHOLESALE - El Salvador el Brujo

tasting notes: tangerine, marmalade, panela

We love that Jose Armando Martinez refers to this high elevation (1600-1700 masl) Pacamara lot from his farm, Finca el Jaguar, as "the wizard". The farm itself feels cloaked and hidden away in Metapan near the Guatemala border, and since there is no road, only a very long walk on a trail to visit, or to move coffee, or anything else, in and out, the fact that we are roasting this coffee in San Francisco at the moment, feels like a bit of a magical wonder. Jose Armando's hard work and passion for farming and commitment to quality is clear in the brilliance of El Brujo.

We’ve been working with our dear friend, Alejandro Valliente, for many years now and for those of you familiar with the coffees from Metapan, these are annual offerings that we look forward to. Alejandro has worked closely with the producers in this Micro Region of El Salvador on our behalf for more than a decade. And two years ago he began working from his own mill, CafeNor, which is a world class, wet- processing, shade-drying and dry-milling export operation in the heart of Metapan. CafeNor is the only operation of its kind in northern El Salvador; Alejandro runs the entire mill on solar power and continues to provide extensive support to the producers in this community. We are honored to be the recipients of Alejandro’s expertise, hard work and dedication to the farmers in Metapan.

This wholesale offering from Four Barrel Coffee showcases Jose Armando Martinez's washed Pacamara from Chalatenango, El Salvador. Grown at 1600–1700 meters, the lot expresses bright citrus and stone fruit character—tangerine and orange forward, with secondary notes of marmalade, kiwi, and subtle sweetness from panela and cane sugar. Washed processing typically emphasizes origin clarity and acidity, qualities evident in this coffee's vibrant fruit expression. Pacamara, a hybrid varietal, is known for producing coffees with pronounced flavor intensity, and this lot demonstrates that potential through its layered sweetness and citrus complexity. Four Barrel's selection underscores the varietal's capacity to deliver both brightness and body.