El Salvador Santa Ana Jaguar

This is a macrolot from El Salvador, grown in the Santa Ana region. Although it is not traceable to one producer or varietal, it is chosen and blended using only coffees that score 84 and up, and the farmers are paid a premium for the coffees. It is then milled according to extra specific quality standards to make sure the end result is above average. It is marked "Balam" (Jaguar) referencing the now-extinct but formerly rare and beloved wild cat that used to roam the El Salvadorian mountains.

The coffee is very well sorted and roasts well. It isn't particularly complex, but it's very drinkable and pleasant. I think you would be hard pressed to find someone who didn't enjoy a mug of this.  It has almost a creamy toasted marshmallow note with a little bit of sweet peach and other stone fruit. The importer suggests cupping notes of pecan and citrus zest, but we weren't picking that up in our tastings. We are roasting this about like a Colombian coffee and taking it just barely or not quite into 2nd cracks. You could go a few degrees lighter than this without any issues, but going a few degrees darker brings a bitterness which contrasts deliciously with a little bit of cream.

US Arrival: July 2026