What is the Pacamara coffee varietal?

Pacamara is a hybrid of Pacas and Maragogype, developed by El Salvador's coffee research institute from the 1950s onwards. It combines Pacas' compact stature and adaptability with Maragogype's oversized bean - producing plants more manageable than Maragogype while retaining visually striking, large seeds.

It's become one of specialty coffee's most celebrated varietals. At high altitude in El Salvador and across Central America, well-grown Pacamara produces complex, distinctive cups - layered fruit, florality, good acidity - that regularly appear in Cup of Excellence and on specialty cupping menus. For a varietal with genuine identity and a story to tell, Pacamara is hard to match in the Central American context.

Managing it takes commitment: susceptible to leaf rust and wind damage, and the large beans need attention during roasting. But for producers investing in quality, the commercial recognition Pacamara attracts makes that investment worthwhile.