El Salvador: El Borbollon

A sweet caramel runs throughout this cup, with the soft sweetness of nectarine and orange adding complexity. The caramel carries through into the aftertaste, where it’s joined by a delicate raspberry.

The El Borbollon motto: "We appreciate the richness of every step of the coffee process and we strive for perfection throughout it." 
- F. Eduardo Alvarez

In the fertile highlands of the Santa Ana Volcano, specifically along the renowned Apaneca-Ilamatepec mountain range, the El Borbollon farm and mill now runs four generations of the Alvarez family deep. Rafael Alvarez Lalinde immigrated from Colombia in 1892 with seedlings that would become the estate's very first planting – over 130 years later, Eduardo Alvarez manages the mill, continuing his father's (also Eduardo) passion for coffee excellence.

The original estate has since been divided into two neighbouring farms: La Reforma and Santa Maria, both still owned and managed by the Alvarez family. These farms, planted exclusively with traditional varietals, sit on the rich volcanic soils that have made this region legendary for coffee production.

The El Borbollon mill, established in 1985, is something of a rarity in El Salvador – most farms rely on external wet and dry mills for processing. This ownership of the entire production chain gives the Alvarez family complete quality control from cherry to export, allowing them to separate and process coffees by variety and picking day, and monitor every stage with meticulous attention.

The mill now processes not only the Alvarez family's own harvests from La Reforma and Santa Maria, but also works with approximately 15 high-altitude partner farms across the Santa Ana region. Through this hub they provide agronomic support, advisory services, and technical assistance to the local coffee community. This support enables partner farmers to maximise both quality and production at their own farms. The results speak for themselves: of those 15 partner farms, 10 have won places in Cup of Excellence competitions, and 4 (including La Reforma) have achieved the COE Presidential Award for scores exceeding 90 points.

Luis Rodriguez (of Fincas San Jose and Nejapa fame) is the QC Manager at El Borbollon mill as his day job. As head cupper, Luis plays a key role in evaluating all of their production and helping them make the most of every lot which comes through their doors.

About Pacamara
Pacamara is El Salvador's gift to the specialty coffee world. Created in 1958 at the Salvadoran Institute for Coffee Research (ISIC), this hybrid took over 30 years of careful selection to stabilise. It's a cross between two quite different parents: Pacas (a compact, high-yielding Bourbon mutation discovered in El Salvador) and Maragogipe (a Typica mutation from Brazil known for its enormous beans but low yields).

The goal was ambitious: combine Pacas's productivity and disease resistance with Maragogipe's remarkable cup quality and distinctive size. What they got was extraordinary – when Pacamara is good, it's one of the most complex and rewarding coffees you'll taste. The large beans (often screen size 17 and above) deliver intense aromas, creamy body, and flavours that swing from chocolate and butterscotch to citrus, red berries, and stone fruits.

Whilst Pacamara originated in El Salvador and is now grown throughout Central America, it's in its homeland where it truly shines. The variety has dominated Salvadoran Cup of Excellence competitions for years, consistently achieving top rankings. It's become beloved by producers, roasters, and baristas alike – far more so than in any other coffee-producing country.

There's a small quirk worth mentioning: both parent varieties have dominant genes, so around 10–20% of Pacamara seedlings revert to being pure Pacas or Maragogipe. These need to be spotted at the nursery stage, which is part of what makes cultivating Pacamara such a skilled endeavour.

Farm & Processing
With eyes set on traceability and corporate social responsibility, Borbollon are committed to helping reform environmental and social issues in the region. Alongside diligent hard work and great farm management, the Alvarez family have long played a part in community welfare including fighting malnutrition among children in nearby areas, operating a health clinic, and providing free schooling for children on local farms.

On the farm, pickers are trained to only select the ripest cherries. They selectively pick only the cherries that are at the peak of their maturity, leaving green and unripe ones for further maturation to be harvested later. This is much more labour-intensive and skilled than simple strip harvesting but essential for high quality results.

Upon receipt of the coffee cherries at the mill, coffee is separated by farm and quality. The whole cherries destined for Natural processing are dried on clay patios – these clay surfaces are specifically chosen for their superior endothermic properties (heat absorption) compared to concrete, which helps regulate temperature much more effectively during the drying process. The cherries are dried slowly for 8–10 days, with this extended drying time contributing positively to cup quality. Once the dried cherries reach their appropriate humidity level, they rest in wooden silos or bags until they're ready to be hulled. After hulling, the beans are cleaned once more and hand-sorted by a skilled team before being bagged and prepared for export.

• Country: El Salvador
• Region: Santa Ana
• Producer: Alvarez Family
• Mill: El Borbollon
• Farms: La Reforma and Santa Maria
• Elevation: 1400-1500 m.a.s.l
• Variety: Pacamara
• Processing method: Natural

Cupping Notes: Caramel, nectarine, orange, raspberry.

Cup of Excellence Cupping Scores

• Clean Cup: 6/8
• Sweetness: 6.5/8
• Acidity: 6.5/8
• Mouthfeel: 6/8
• Flavour: 6.5/8
• Aftertaste: 6/8
• Balance: 6/8
• Overall: 6.5/8
• Correction: +36
• Total: 87/100

If you would like to find out more about how we score coffees, make sure to read our blog post "What Do Coffee Cuppings Scores Actually Mean?" by clicking here.

Medium to Medium-Dark

Pacamara's larger bean size and density mean it behaves quite differently in the roaster compared to your typical Bourbon or Caturra. Our roasting team are taking this one to a medium to medium-dark profile, with the key emphasis on maintaining steady, controlled development throughout. Here's why that matters: Pacamara beans tend to crack at slightly lower temperatures than other varietals, and the heat released during first and second crack can cause the roast to accelerate quickly if you're not careful. By keeping the development phase steady and controlled, we're giving the beans time to develop their sugars fully without rushing into baked or overly roasted territory – something Pacamara is particularly prone to if the roast gets away from you.

This medium to medium-dark approach is particularly well-suited to Natural processed Pacamaras. The roast level brings out the variety's characteristic creamy body and butterscotch sweetness whilst allowing the fruit-forward notes from the Natural processing to shine through without being overshadowed. You'll get that lovely balance between chocolatey richness and the bright, berry-like complexity that makes Pacamara so distinctive. It's a roast that respects both the varietal's potential for intense, complex aromatics and the jammy, fruit-laden qualities that come from drying the coffee in the whole cherry. The result should be a full-bodied, syrupy cup with layers of chocolate, dried fruit, and that signature Pacamara creaminess.

Our coffee is roasted fresh and ships quickly – which means it might arrive a little lively. Here's the thing: freshly roasted beans are still busy releasing carbon dioxide (a natural byproduct of roasting), and all that activity can make your brew taste a bit sharp or unsettled.

Give it a few days to calm down and something lovely happens. Those brighter, edgier notes mellow out, sweetness develops, and the flavours you're actually after can really come into focus.

We recommend resting your coffee for at least 5-7 days from the roast date on the bag before brewing. A little patience goes a long way.

That said, this is just what we've found works best – not a rule. If you can't wait, we completely understand. Tuck in whenever you like.