Honduras Ocotepeque Region | Finca Santa Marta Organic Washed Catuai

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Flavor Profile of Finca Santa Organic Washed Catuai from Ocotepeque Region, Honduras

Honduras has never ranked among the top countries in the specialty coffee market, but Honduras possesses natural environmental advantages—soil quality, altitude, and climate conditions are all excellent. Neighboring countries like Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua also have advanced coffee production. What Honduras lacks is infrastructure and sufficient recognition in consumer markets. The country is better known for commercial beans rather than specialty beans. Even with excellent quality, it cannot command good prices. Many beans from the Copán and Santa Barbara regions are passed off as Guatemala beans and sold at Guatemala prices. Furthermore, there has long been a lack of awareness of its own potential for growing specialty coffee beans.

The main problem is that coffee cherries receive only minimal processing and are sold to processing facilities while still wet. This often causes coffee cherries to mold and spoil before undergoing proper drying treatment to reach the optimal 12% moisture content. Such cherries that pass through the drying stage become defective beans due to improper drying. Without corresponding price rewards for good quality, coffee farmers, processing facilities, and exporters lack incentives and motivation to invest in developing coffee cultivation potential. Consequently, Honduran coffee beans end up being recognized as mild blended beans rather than beans from single origins or specific farms—a vicious cycle.

But now things are different. With assistance from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Fintrac, and several cooperatives like La Central, they vigorously promote and educate Honduran coffee farmers to produce quality coffee and apply appropriate processing to maximize the final coffee flavor. Additionally, Fair Trade organizations have funded the construction of processing equipment and increased the professional knowledge of coffee farmers, allowing Honduran coffee to gradually emerge from its低谷 and become a rising Central American coffee in recent years.

Like other coffee-producing countries, Honduras is highly diverse, and I cannot cover everything with a single description. The largest producing region is Santa Barbara, with other regions including Copán, Ocotepeque, Lempira, La Paz, and the southern El Paraiso region. Growing altitudes range from 1,500 to 2,000 meters above sea level, primarily cultivating Strictly High Grown (SHG) beans. Generally, recent cuppings of Honduran coffee reveal lower acidity and higher sweetness with distinct caramel notes, making them an excellent choice for espresso blends.

Finca Santa Marta Estate Information

Farm Name: Finca Santa Marta

City: Tegucigalpita, Yoro

Region: Ocotepeque

Country: Honduras

Altitude: 1,250-1,480 meters

Farm Size: 59 Hectares

Coffee Growing Area: 3-5 Hectares

Annual Precipitation: 1,300 mm

Soil: Clay loam, sandy loam

Annual Production: 400 bags of green coffee beans

Certification: Organic

Shade Trees: Guama, Liquidambar, Oak, Cedar, Guajiniquel, and Musaceae (including banana plants)

Water Source: Natural water sources from the Santa Marta Farm

Variety: Catuai

Processing System: Washed and dried on patios

Flowering Period: September - October

Harvest Period: Handpicked from January through March

Appearance: Screen 18

Awards: 2006 Cup of Excellence, 1st place

Flavor Profile

Aroma/Flavor: Peanut, nuts, almond, licorice, hazelnut, jasmine, starfruit, kumquat, honey, sugarcane, brown sugar, malt, frankincense

Acidity: Very fresh, clean, low acidity, citrus, berries, mint, low complexity, smooth acidity

Complexity and Other Characteristics: Well-balanced, medium-long aftertaste, smooth oily mouthfeel, very sweet aftertaste, silky smooth without impurities

Since winning first place in the 2006 coffee competition, Honduras' Finca Santa Marta has begun collaborating with international coffee buyers, enabling the coffee beans to maintain excellent quality. Those who appreciate the lively peanut and nutty aroma after grinding, as well as the jasmine tea character when the coffee cools, will find this mild, crisp, and delightful coffee to be one of Honduras' exceptional estates with few drawbacks.

Brewing Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee Recommended Brewing:

Dripper: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 90°C

Grind Size: Fuji Royal grinder setting 3.5

Brewing Method: Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, using 15g of coffee. First pour 25g of water for a 25-second bloom. Second pour to 120g, then pause. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to half before continuing to pour. Slowly pour until reaching 225g total. Extraction time approximately 2:00 minutes.

Analysis: This three-stage brewing method clearly distinguishes the front, middle, and back-end flavors of the coffee. Because the V60 has numerous ribs and drains quickly, pausing during pouring can extend the extraction time for washed processing.

Important Notice :

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