El Salvador's Five Major Coffee Regions Starbucks Reserve El Salvador San Marcelino Farm Coffee Beans

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El Salvador: The Coffee Heart of Central America

Located in the heart of Central America, El Salvador is one of the world's oldest coffee origins. It is renowned for producing Bourbon, Pacas, and Pacamara coffee varieties. Coffee plantations are distributed across the most fertile soil areas of hills and volcanic slopes, mainly concentrated in six growing regions: Alotepec, Apaneca, El Bálsamo, Chichontepec, Tepaca, and Cacahuatique, covering an area of 161,000 hectares. Due to its special volcanic terrain and soil, Salvadoran coffee possesses unique flavors—mellow and aromatic, with balanced sweetness and acidity, rich fragrance, and captivating charm.

El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America, roughly three-fifths the size of Taiwan. Despite its small size, it boasts 25 volcanoes of various sizes. While volcanoes bring abundant volcanic ash and fertile soil, local residents must face the daily threat of active volcanoes, creating a complex relationship of both love and fear.

El Salvador's coffee has five major growing regions (Apaneca, Central Belt, Chichontepec, Tecapa & Cacahuatique Mountain Range), mostly distributed in high-altitude volcanic ash-covered mountain slopes or plateau areas above 1,200 meters. The coffee harvesting season runs from October to February of the following year. The coffee beans produced belong to the Arabica species, primarily featuring two varieties: Bourbon and Pacas. They are classified into three grades based on altitude: SHG (Strictly High Grown), HG (High Grown), and SC (Central Standard).

A Brief History of Salvadoran Coffee

In the mid-19th century, after the federation dissolved, El Salvador gained independence from Nicaragua. Its main cash crop was indigo plants—a crop used for making indigo dye. It wasn't until after the mid-19th century, when chemical dyes were invented, that these lands were converted to coffee cultivation.

Thanks to noble support and the era of militarized rule, the political situation was relatively stable, and the coffee industry also drove the development of civilian industries. By the 1880s, El Salvador even became the world's fourth-largest coffee-producing country. The outbreak of civil war in 1980 had a significant impact on coffee production and trade.

Altitude Grading

El Salvador still uses altitude grading, which has no relationship with quality or production and sales history—simply classifying into three grades based on topography.

How is Altitude Grading Distinguished?

Strictly High Grown (SHG): Grown at altitudes exceeding 1,200 meters.

High Grown (HG): Altitudes exceeding 900 meters.

Central Standard: Growing altitudes exceeding 600 meters.

Characteristics of Salvadoran Coffee

Salvadoran coffee is rich, full-bodied, and sweet, with aromas of dried fruit, citrus, chocolate, and caramel.

The Bourbon variety is most famous, with its sweetness and smooth acidity presenting a very balanced and harmonious character.

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