Pacas: The Compact Powerhouse of Central American Coffee

There's something quietly heroic about Pacas. It doesn't have the glamour of Gesha or the giant beans of Maragogype. What it does have is grit, reliability, and a cup quality that punches well above its weight class. This compact little mutation showed up uninvited on a Salvadoran farm in 1949, looked around at the towering Bourbon trees surrounding it, and decided that smaller was smarter. It was right.

For over seven decades, Pacas has been the backbone of El Salvador's coffee industry, accounting for roughly a quarter of the country's production. It's also the proud parent of one of speciality coffee's most celebrated varietals: Pacamara. But before we get to the famous offspring, let's give credit where it's due. Pacas deserves its moment in the sun – or rather, its moment in the shade-dappled highlands of Central America where it thrives.

The Origin Story: A Family Affair

The year was 1949. Fernando Alberto Pacas Figueroa was tending his Bourbon coffee trees at Finca San Rafael, nestled in the Santa Ana region of El Salvador near the imposing Santa Ana volcano. Among the tall, elegant Bourbon plants, he noticed something different: shorter, stockier trees with dense foliage and branches heavy with fruit. Rather than dismiss these oddities as runts, Fernando had the foresight to cultivate them separately.

Initial speculation suggested these peculiar plants might be a hybrid of Typica and San Ramón. But when scientists from the University of Florida examined samples years later, they discovered something more elegant: Pacas was a natural, spontaneous mutation of Bourbon – a single-gene change that caused the plant to grow compact rather than tall. It was nature's own experiment in efficiency, and the Pacas family had the good fortune to witness it.

The varietal was christened Pacas in honour of the family who discovered and championed it. In 1960, the Salvadoran Institute for Coffee Research (ISIC) began a formal programme of pedigree selection, carefully choosing the best individual plants through successive generations to stabilise and improve the variety. By 1974, Honduras had introduced Pacas through IHCAFE, and the little tree that could began its spread across Central America.

The Pacas Family Tree

Pacas belongs to a trio of natural dwarf Bourbon mutations that appeared independently in different Central American countries during the twentieth century: Caturra in Brazil (1937), Pacas in El Salvador (1949), and Villa Sarchi in Costa Rica (1950s). All three carry the same single-gene mutation causing compact growth, yet each developed its own distinct character shaped by terroir and selective breeding. It's a fascinating example of convergent evolution in the coffee world.

Physical Characteristics: Small but Mighty

Pacas is what botanists call a "dwarf" or "compact" variety, though that undersells its presence. Where a typical Bourbon tree might stretch to 4 or 5 metres, Pacas maxes out around 1.2 to 1.5 metres – roughly chest height on most farmers. This isn't a deficiency; it's a design feature.

The trees develop dense, bushy foliage with dark green, glossy leaves that cluster tightly along shortened internodes (the spaces between branches). This compact architecture serves multiple purposes. The tight canopy shields fruit from direct sun exposure, and the sturdy, thick branches sit at angles that help the plant resist wind damage. In El Salvador's highlands, where volcanic slopes meet Pacific trade winds, this matters enormously.

The cherries ripen to a deep red and contain medium-sized beans – similar in size to Caturra, somewhat smaller than Bourbon. Nothing flashy here, just consistent, well-formed seeds that cup cleanly. The trees begin bearing fruit around three years after planting, with harvest typically falling late in the season – a trait that suits regions with distinct wet and dry periods.

Perhaps the most commercially significant aspect of Pacas' compact size is planting density. Farmers can fit between 5,000 and 6,000 trees per hectare using single-stem pruning, compared to perhaps 2,000 to 3,000 for taller varieties. More trees means more cherries; more cherries means better economics. For smallholder farmers working limited plots, this density advantage can be the difference between viability and struggle.

Cup Profile: The Quiet Achiever

Here's the thing about Pacas: it doesn't shout. You won't find the explosive florals of a Gesha or the wine-like acidity of an SL28. What you will find is balance, sweetness, and a clean, approachable cup that rewards attention without demanding it.

Typical Pacas coffees offer a medium body with gentle, well-integrated acidity. The flavour profile tends toward the sweeter end of the spectrum – think caramel, brown sugar, and milk chocolate as your foundation. Depending on terroir and processing, you might find stone fruit notes (apricot, plum), subtle citrus, or delicate floral hints weaving through the cup. Some tasters detect nutty undertones – almond, hazelnut – particularly in washed lots.

The finish is usually clean and pleasant, without the lingering intensity of some higher-scoring varietals. This makes Pacas an excellent workhorse for blends, where its sweetness and balance complement more assertive single origins. But don't write it off as merely blend fodder. A well-grown, carefully processed Pacas from high altitude can absolutely stand alone, offering a comfort-coffee experience that's easy to drink but never boring.

Processing method significantly influences the final cup. Washed Pacas tends toward brightness and clarity – the varietal's natural sweetness comes through cleanly, with crisp fruit notes. Honey processing amplifies that sweetness, adding body and complexity while maintaining the clean character. Natural processing can push Pacas into more fruit-forward territory, though the variety's inherent balance keeps things from becoming overwhelming.

Growing Challenges: The Rust Problem

If Pacas has an Achilles' heel, it's coffee leaf rust. This fungal disease, caused by Hemileia vastatrix, has devastated coffee-growing regions worldwide, and Pacas offers essentially no natural resistance. The variety is also susceptible to nematodes (microscopic root parasites) and coffee berry disease, though the latter hasn't yet reached Central America.

This vulnerability isn't unique to Pacas – virtually all traditional Bourbon-lineage varieties share it. But it does mean that farmers growing Pacas must stay vigilant, monitoring for the telltale yellow-orange pustules on leaf undersides and applying preventive measures. At higher altitudes, where cooler temperatures slow rust development, Pacas can thrive with less intensive management. Lower down, the calculus changes.

The leaf rust epidemic that swept Central America beginning in 2012 hit Pacas-growing regions hard. El Salvador saw devastating crop losses, and many farmers faced impossible choices: continue with susceptible but flavourful varieties like Pacas and Bourbon, or switch to rust-resistant hybrids that might compromise cup quality? The coffee industry's response has been to develop new varieties that combine resistance with flavour, but this takes time. Meanwhile, Pacas endures – battered but unbowed.

On the positive side, Pacas handles environmental stress reasonably well. Its compact foliage provides natural protection against wind and strong sunlight, and the variety adapts to periods of water scarcity better than some alternatives. It's also well-suited to high-altitude cultivation, where it can produce excellent quality given appropriate care. World Coffee Research rates Pacas as performing best above 1,000 to 1,200 metres at equatorial latitudes, with the optimal ceiling rising to above 1,600 metres for top quality.

Origin Expressions

Though Pacas was born in El Salvador and remains most closely associated with that country, it's now grown across Central America. Each origin brings its own inflection to the variety's core character.

El Salvador remains the heartland. Grown on volcanic slopes in regions like Santa Ana, Ahuachapán, and Apaneca-Ilamatepec, Salvadoran Pacas typically delivers the classic profile: balanced sweetness, chocolate notes, and clean acidity. The volcanic mineral-rich soils contribute depth and complexity. These coffees often fly under the radar, overshadowed by the country's showier Pacamara and Bourbon lots, but they offer exceptional value.

Honduras introduced Pacas in 1974 and has since become a significant producer. Honduran Pacas tends toward fruit-forward profiles, with bright citrus and stone fruit notes complementing the variety's inherent sweetness. High-altitude regions like Marcala and Copán produce particularly noteworthy lots.

Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Mexico also cultivate Pacas, often alongside Bourbon and other traditional varieties. Each country's unique microclimates and soil compositions create subtle variations on the theme – proof that terroir matters even with a variety as consistent as Pacas.

The Verdict

Pacas won't win many beauty contests in the speciality coffee world. It lacks the exotic backstory of Ethiopian heirlooms, the bold flavours of Kenyan selections, and the competition-winning pedigree of its own offspring, Pacamara. What it offers instead is something equally valuable: dependable quality, farmer-friendly agronomy, and a cup that satisfies without complication.

For roasters, Pacas represents a reliable foundation – whether as a single-origin offering for customers who prefer approachable coffees, or as a sweetness-boosting component in blends. For farmers, particularly smallholders in Central America, it remains economically viable despite disease pressures. And for drinkers? Pacas is the everyday coffee you can return to again and again, the comfortable jumper in a wardrobe of statement pieces.

Sometimes the quiet ones deserve the spotlight too.

Quick Varietal Facts

Varietal: Pacas
Type: Natural Bourbon Mutation (Dwarf/Compact)
Related to: Bourbon (parent), Caturra and Villa Sarchi (genetic siblings)
Origin: Finca San Rafael, Santa Ana, El Salvador, 1949
Optimal Altitude: 1,000–1,700m (varies by latitude)
Growth Habit: Compact dwarf, 1.2–1.5m height, dense foliage, tight internodes
Cherry Colour: Red when ripe
Bean Size: Medium (similar to Caturra)
Yield: Medium to High (higher than Bourbon due to density)
Disease Resistance: Very susceptible to coffee leaf rust, nematodes, and CBD
Notable Offspring: Pacamara (Pacas × Maragogype)
Typical Cup Profile: Balanced, medium body, gentle acidity, caramel/chocolate sweetness, stone fruit, clean finish

Further Reading

World Coffee Research – Pacas Variety Profile
Comprehensive technical data on Pacas including altitude recommendations, disease susceptibility ratings, and agronomic characteristics from the global coffee research authority.

Perfect Daily Grind – What's So Special About Pacamara?
An interview with the Pacas family's coffee director exploring the history of both Pacas and its famous offspring, including insights into breeding and cup characteristics.

Specialty Coffee Association – Coffee Plants of the World
A detailed botanical reference covering major Arabica varieties including Pacas, with information on physical characteristics and genetic relationships.

Interested in exploring Pacas' genetic relatives? Check out our articles on Bourbon, Pacamara, and Caturra.