Honduran 'Mercedes' has flavors of s’mores, raspberry jam, and cedar - with a juicy and creamy mouthfeel.

The CAFESMO (Cafes Especiales Mercedes Ocotepeque) cooperative in northwest Honduras is made up of 280+ members, with small farms ranging in size from 2 to 12 hectares, who also grow different blends of plantains, mangos, citrus, avocado, corn, beans, chiles, carrots, and more. This diversity of crops, the region’s many microclimates, and varying altitudes extend their harvest season months longer than the average co-op.

Honduras is Central America's largest coffee producer by volume. While the washed process is widely used in Central America, natural processed coffees remain hard to find. High-quality naturals are usually tiny, experimental lots produced for waiting buyers or auction platforms, with very competitive prices. This particular lot is an anaerobically fermented natural and is part of the first full container CAFESMO has shipped to the United States. CAFESMO began experimenting with increased fermentation times using anaerobic methods as a way of boosting the clarity and acidity of their naturals.

Learn more about CAFESMO on their website: https://cafesmo.com/en (https://cafesmo.com/en)

“Anaerobic” in this case refers to the fermentation environment where oxygen is limited or entirely deprived. In normal coffee fermentation, the oxygen itself drives the process, converting sugars to alcohol and lowering the pH of the mixture. When oxygen is limited, the fermentation process is slowed, giving the coffee's sugars a longer period of contact with the seed and transforming the flavor.

AROMA: s’mores, strawberry

FLAVOR: raspberry jam, rhubarb

BODY: juicy, creamy

FINISH: honey, cedar