Archival Release #42 - Los Yoyos

For this month’s Freezer Friday release, we are sharing the very last of our preserved archive of coffee from the 2020 harvest at Finca Los Yoyos in Santa Barbara, Honduras.

By now, the story of Eulogio Martinez and his farm Finca Los Yoyos is well known to many specialty coffee industry professionals and coffee enthusiasts alike. Equally as well known is how unique, and often divisive, the flavor profile of these coffees can be.

The reason for such a polarizing cup lies in the unique plant genetics of the parainema variety, which Eugolio Martinez launched into the spotlight when a selection of it from his farm was submitted to the 2015 Honduran Cup of Excellence and took home the top prize. Before this victory, there was much debate about the mysterious variety, often dubbed “pacaweirdo”, with some who tasted it finding it to be extraordinary and delicious while others judged the coffee to be highly unpleasant, if not defective. In fact, what Eugolio had stumbled upon was a pedigree selection of a Timor Hybrid cross that was the result of national coffee breeding efforts in Honduras some years prior.

While the parainema variety has remained a perennially contentious topic, we at Passenger have always found this unique flavor profile, with its dynamic mix of citrus, tropical fruit flavors, and complex baking spices, to be very intriguing and enjoyable. This particular harvest from Los Yoyos brings those qualities in spades: Intense citric acidity, contributing to a puckering and almost quinic initial flavor profile, alongside fresh tobacco, baking spices, subtle tropical fruits, and a brisk black tea finish.

Archival Release #42 - Los Yoyos represents a distinct offering from Passenger Coffee, sourced from the Santa Barbara region of Honduras. This specific lot was produced by Eulogio Martinez and features the Parainema varietal. While Honduras · Santa Barbara is widely recognized for its diverse microclimates and high-quality production, this release highlights the unique character of Martinez’s harvest.

The cup profile for this coffee is defined by a complex interplay of citrus and tropical fruit, balanced by deeper notes of baking spices, fresh tobacco, and black tea. When evaluating such profiles, enthusiasts often consult the flavor wheel to better categorize these nuanced sensations. Parainema is a hybrid variety often noted for its resilience and potential for high cup quality, and in this instance, it provides a structured foundation for the vibrant fruit and savory spice notes identified by the roaster. This release serves as a compelling example of the specific terroir found within the Santa Barbara department.