Honduras Comayagua Santa Lucia Reserve Organic
We’ve been really enjoying the direct trade coffees from De La Finca’s family farms and figured its high time we introduced their “gold standard”. Finca Santa Lucia is their bread and butter family farm, owned and operated by Raul Rodriguez. Raul is the grandfather to De La Finca’s founder, Nelson Amador (pictured together above). He’s a third generation coffee producer who was raised on Finca Santa Lucia and inherited it from his father, Don Ermenegildo Rodriguez. Now that’s the legacy of a farmer who produces a gold standard!
The majority of Finca Santa Lucia’s best cherries are processed and sorted for De La Finca’s “Family” lot, but the very best ones are processed separately for this “Reserve” lot. Curated under Raul’s watchful eye, this lot once again leaves us wondering why Comayagua is such an underrecognized coffee region. Maybe it’s just a well-kept secret? Or maybe it’s tough to pronounce? Well that doesn’t make sense, Guatemala’s Huehuetenango region is near impossible for most folks to pronounce. Speaking of which, if you’re a fan of coffees from Huehue, this might be your new favorite.
This coffee is rich, bold and buttery with a touch of complexity and just a dab of bite. Smooth but not too smooth, there’s just enough kick to make it perfect for cutting through milk in a latte or for folks who prefer a bit of cream and sugar in their daily driver. It’s also an excellent base for a house or espresso blend with tons of body and gentle acidity. Subtle sweetness and a warm, lingering finish round this cup out. We tasted rich dark chocolate and walnuts followed by maple syrup and just a touch of nectarine. This coffee has Sunday breakfast written all over it. Pancakes and bacon, anyone?
Reminder! This coffee is raw, you must roast it before brewing
Arrival Date: September 15, 2023. Harvest year: 2023, Packed in GrainPro
Acidity & Brightness: Fairly bright and moderately sweet
Balance & Finish: Fairly balanced with a warm, lingering finish
Body & Texture: Rich body and buttery texture
Flavors: Dark chocolate, maple syrup, walnut & nectarine
Grade: SHG-EP, grown at 1200-1650 masl
Certifications: Direct trade, USDA Organic & Smithsonian Bird Friendly
Processing: Fully washed
Grower: Raul Rodriguez | Finca Santa Lucia
Region: Tres Pinos, Comayagua, Honduras
Varietals: Lempira, IH90 & Caturra
Recommended Roast Range: City+ to Vienna (Light-Medium to Dark)
We like this coffee best at Full City (Full Medium) or between 1st and 2nd crack. Lighter roasts, to around the tail end of 1st crack, will bring out a bit more lemony brightness and at the expense of body. If you want to bring out more walnut and bring out more complexity in the chocolate tones, take it a touch darker. Darker roasts will also accent more of the rich body and texture.
De La Finca Coffee - "Finca Santa Lucia is tucked away in the little village of Tres Pinos, over two and half hours away from the nearest city, Comayagua, Honduras. Raul Rodriguez, a third-generation coffee producer, owns and operates the farm and lives there happily with his wife and three dogs. He inherited this farm from his father, Don Ermenegildo Rodriguez—one of the biggest coffee innovators of his time. Having a vision for specialty coffee, his father introduced the world to exotic varietals such as Yellow Bourbon, Typica, and Caturra.
Perfectly planted in Montaña de La Choca, a national mountain reserve, Finca Santa Lucia is surrounded by a cloud forest full of exotic wildlife. The well-defined seasons in this region contribute to the high quality of specialty coffees. The rainy season results in beautiful cherries, and the clear, dry season allows the producers to sun-dry their coffee once it is washed. The high altitude, richness of the clay, soil, and warmth of the sun ensure that the integrity and quality of the beans are preserved from beginning to end.
As a coffee producer, Raul Rodgriguez is always pushing for better quality coffee and better quality of life for his workers. In the highest altitudes of his land, you will see him farming new coffee varietals, Ovata and Pacamara. His new farm, Santa Lucia Reserve, is certified organic and a habitat for many birds, including his favorite—the Toucan.
This farm employs around 75 pickers during coffee harvest season and 15 permanent workers that live on the farm with their families. As a socially conscious coffee producer, Raul pays his workers the highest salaries in the region. This year, he will donate part of his profits from all of his direct sales to help rebuild the local school that is in dire need of a kitchen and electricity.
Relationship with the De La Finca Family:
Raul Rodriguez is one of the patriarch of the De La Finca Family. He is the grandfather of De La Finca Coffee founder/owner, Nelson Amador.
