El Matazano
HONDURAS
El Matazano, the plantation of Augustin Claros Gonzales, is located in Pozo Negro, Intibucá. Augustin grows Lempira, a varietal developed by the IHCAFE Institute in Honduras by crossing the Timor hybrid and Caturra to create a high-yielding and resistant Arabica varietal. Augustin is a member of a group of 60 small producers from the area of Pozo Negro whom our importer is working with every year. According to them, the crop was of outstanding quality this year, so let’s see how Augustin’s wet-processed Lempira tastes like!
Honduras is currently the seventh-largest coffee producer in the world, where coffee production dates back to the late 18th century. Although, coffee cultivation is around for a long time and the country has the climate and geographic conditions for producing high-quality coffee, yet there are hardships coffee growers have to deal with. In addition to political and economic instability, coffee growers also have to face difficulties such as heavy rainfall and the spread of coffee leaf rust, a disease that attacks coffee plants. The country’s coffee production is divided between six main growing areas, one of them is Montecillos (more specifically the less known Intibucá) where this coffee is from. This region is known for coffees with a heavy body and a cherry-like sweetness. Mostly Pacas, Yellow Catuai, Pacamara and Lempira varieties are grown in the area of Pozo Negro. The latter varietal makes up our coffee, which is a dwarf-growing and disease-resistant Arabica hybrid.