Introduction to El Salvador Coffee Estate | FINCA EL MANZANO Estate

El Salvador | FINCA EL MANZANO Manzano Estate

Processing Method: Natural

Altitude: 1300-1550 meters

Variety: Pacamara

Soil Type: Volcanic soil

Harvest: From December to March

Cupping Notes: Creamy body and malic acidity, with flavors of red apple and cherry and caramel-like sweetness.

Farm History:

FINCA EL MANZANO (Manzano Estate), established in 1872, was one of the farms we visited while scouting new coffees in Central America last year. There we met Emilio Lopez, who perfectly embodies "a sense of belonging." Emilio is a 6th-generation coffee grower in El Salvador with a relentless pursuit of quality, constantly experimenting with production and processing at Manzano to raise every aspect of the cup. By harvesting ripe cherries, refining the processing, drying and final maturation, he obtains distinctive, vibrant green coffee beans.

As for the varieties on the farm, it was originally 100% Typica. Because productivity was low, it was replanted with Bourbon, and since 2004 new varieties have been introduced. Today the estate grows Bourbon, Pacamara, Yellow Bourbon, Typica, Geisha and more.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommended Brewing Parameters

Recommended Brewing Method: Pour-over

Filter: V60

Water Temperature: 88-91°C

Time: Two minutes

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

El Salvador's Pacamara shows how expressive a single variety can be, and if variety-driven coffee excites you, Geisha is the natural next chapter. For a first taste, FrontStreet Coffee recommends the FrontStreet Boquete Geisha from Panama: an entry-level Geisha that lets you discover the classic Panama character - orange-blossom honey sweetness, an oolong-tea feel and delicate, well-defined fruit acidity - at a friendly price.

For the full Geisha experience, the FrontStreet Esmeralda Red Label ("Esmeralda Special") and Green Label ("Private Collection") from Hacienda La Esmeralda are the benchmark. The Red Label grows at 1600-1800 meters, every batch must cup above 90 points, and each batch comes from a single named lot so you can chase the micro-flavor you prefer; the Green Label blends lots across the estate's high-altitude plots to express its signature Geisha profile at a more attainable price.

Ethiopia, the birthplace of Geisha, offers its own expression: the FrontStreet Genlana Estate Gesha, from a processing station established in 2014 near the border of Kochere and Genlena Abaya. Sun-dried on raised beds for 14-20 days depending on the weather, then medium-light roasted, it brews into bright citrus acidity, elegant ginger-flower aroma and the full sweetness of ripe fruit, with a refined, silky finish.