La Muela Pacamara Washed

This delightfully creamy Pacamara from our Direct Trade partners in El Salvador opens with aromas of caramel apple, raisin, and nougat. Chocolate milk and almond notes are accompanied by orange acidity, with thyme and cacao nib lingering in the finish.

Details

Producer: Sergio & Isabel Ticas Farm: Finca Los Planes Region: Chalatenango Altitude: 1,625 masl Varietal: Pacamara Process: Washed Roast: Light Notes: Orange, Hazelnut, Chocolate Milk

The Story

La Muela is a special sorted Pacamara lot from the El Matazano, Cerro Los Tamales, and Auracarias farms at Finca Los Planes. After coffee has been depulped (the inner seed separated from its surrounding fruit) it is sent through a criba drum to remove the parchment, or hull. The parchment that is too large to pass through the criba comprises this nanolot. Sr. Ticas believes these beans are produced when the Maragogype genes segregate themselves from the Pacas genes in the Pacamara hybrid. The beans have a molar-like appearance, hence the name “La Muela.”

Pacamara is a hybrid of the flavorful Pacas and the giant, high-production Maragogype varieties that was first bred in El Salvador in 1958. Its large cherries produce a coffee that, when roasted properly, features complex fruit and nut notes with a creamy mouthfeel.

Direct Trade

Sergio Ticas and his wife, Isabel, became our first Direct Trade partners nearly 20 years ago. On our first visit it was clear that their commitment to quality and sustainable practices is top priority. They have engaged in various sustainability initiatives over the last few years, like installing a new water recovery system to protect the water supply and purify water used during coffee processing before releasing it back into the ecosystem.

We are proud to have partnered with Finca Los Planes on many projects to help their community and improve the farm since 2007. Providing the surrounding community—many of whom are coffee pickers at Los Planes—with medicines for the clinic and uniforms for the football team have created a solid foundation of trust between the farm and the community. Everyone has a vested interest in a successful harvest each year.

Produced by Sergio and Isabel Ticas in the Chalatenango region of El Salvador, La Muela Pacamara Washed represents a meticulous approach to coffee cultivation. This lot features the Pacamara varietal, a hybrid known for its distinctively large bean size and complex profile. By utilizing a washed process, the producers emphasize the inherent clarity and structural acidity of the coffee, which PT's Coffee Roasting highlights through notes of orange, hazelnut, and chocolate milk.

While washed coffees are often celebrated for their clean, vibrant profiles, the specific characteristics of a cup are always influenced by the unique terroir of the farm. When evaluating these nuances, tasters often refer to a flavor wheel to better articulate the interplay between the bright citrus top notes and the comforting, nutty base. This particular selection from the Ticas family offers a balanced expression of the region’s potential, showcasing the refined results possible through careful post-harvest handling.