El Salvador Pacamara from Finca Ataisi: What Makes It Special?

If you’ve ever tasted a coffee that swings between juicy stone fruit and deep chocolate, with a body so thick it feels like drinking velvet, you’ve likely had a well-grown Pacamara. But not all Pacamaras are created equal. This article unpacks what makes the Pacamara from Finca Ataisi in El Salvador stand out—its size, flavor complexity, and meticulous processing.

The Finca Ataisi Pacamara is a standout SHG-grade micro lot grown at 1800 meters, with 17–18 mesh beans over 90% of the lot, averaging 1.03 cm in length and notable for its bold acidity, creamy texture, and layered fruit notes. It’s a true single-origin showcase.

What Is Pacamara Coffee?

Pacamara is a hybrid coffee variety, artificially bred in 1958 by Salvadoran researchers. It combines the Pacas variety—known for its balanced cup—with the Maragogipe, famous for its giant bean size. The result is a coffee that inherits Pacas’ refined acidity and complexity, along with Maragogipe’s impressive physical stature.

Pacamara beans are notably large: 100% are 17 mesh or larger, and 90% are 18 mesh or above. On average, they measure 1.03 cm in length (compared to 0.8–0.85 cm for standard beans), 0.71 cm in width (vs. 0.6–0.65 cm), and 0.37 cm in thickness. Their shape is full and rounded. These physical traits often correlate with a heavier mouthfeel and more pronounced flavors in the cup.

This variety is especially prized when grown in El Salvador and Guatemala, where high altitudes and careful farming bring out its best qualities: vibrant acidity, layered fruit and pastry notes, and a rich, syrupy body.

Finca Ataisi: The Farm Behind the Bean

Finca Ataisi is located in the Izalco region of Sonsonate Province, El Salvador, at an elevation of 1800 meters. The estate spans 908 hectares, with 20 hectares dedicated specifically to Pacamara cultivation. This focused planting allows for specialized care during the growing cycle and harvest.

The farm’s Pacamara crop is harvested in January. The beans are processed using a washed (fermented) method followed by sun drying—an approach that highlights clarity and accentuates the inherent fruitiness of the variety. The farm holds Rainforest Alliance certification, reflecting its commitment to sustainable and environmentally responsible practices.

This micro lot is carefully separated to maintain consistency and quality, ensuring that only the best beans make it into the final package.

Flavor Profile: What to Expect

The Finca Ataisi Pacamara delivers a dynamic cup: bright and lively acidity dances with flavors of fresh strawberries and juicy passionfruit, while a creamy, nutty undertone builds through the mid-palate. Notes of dark chocolate and toasted nuts linger alongside a sweet strawberry finish. The body is full and velvety, with a lasting oily mouthfeel that coats the palate.

Expect a layered experience: think creamy chocolate, tangy passionfruit, buttery notes, and a final hint of strawberry and roasted nuts. It’s a coffee that rewards attention and shines in pour-over or immersion brewing methods.

Why Size Matters in Coffee Beans

Bean size isn’t just a curiosity—it often correlates with cup characteristics. Larger beans like Pacamara (especially those graded 17 and 18 mesh) tend to have more space to develop complex sugars during growth. That can translate into greater sweetness, a heavier body, and more distinct acidity.

In the case of Pacamara, the large bean size is paired with a deliberate high-altitude cultivation strategy, enhancing slow maturation and concentrated flavors. At Finca Ataisi, these factors combine to produce a coffee with both presence and finesse.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is special about Pacamara coffee?

Pacamara is a hybrid of Pacas and Maragogipe, known for its large bean size and complex cup profile. It typically features bright, tangy acidity alongside deep chocolate and fruit flavors, with a heavy, creamy body. The variety is especially valued in El Salvador and Guatemala for its balance of size and taste complexity.

Where is Finca Ataisi located?

Finca Ataisi is situated in the Izalco region of Sonsonate Province, El Salvador, at an altitude of 1800 meters. The estate covers 908 hectares, with 20 hectares dedicated to growing Pacamara coffee.

How is the Pacamara from Finca Ataisi processed?

The Pacamara beans from Finca Ataisi are processed using a washed (fermented) method, followed by sun drying. This processing style enhances clarity and emphasizes the coffee’s inherent fruit and chocolate notes.

What does Finca Ataisi Pacamara taste like?

The cup features bright acidity with notes of strawberry and passionfruit, a creamy and nutty body, hints of dark chocolate, and a sweet strawberry finish. It has a full, velvety mouthfeel and is often enjoyed as a single-origin pour-over.

What makes SHG coffee different?

SHG (Strictly High Grown) coffee is grown at elevations typically above 1200–1400 meters. These higher altitudes slow down bean development, leading to greater sugar accumulation, denser beans, and more complex, vibrant flavors compared to lower-grown coffees.

Is Pacamara a common coffee variety?

Pacamara is not common compared to varieties like Typica or Bourbon, but it is highly regarded in specialty coffee circles, especially from El Salvador and Guatemala. Its larger beans and distinctive cup profile make it a favorite for single-origin offerings and cupping competitions.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Pour-Over

For fans of the Finca Ataisi Pacamara’s fruit-forward, creamy profile, try FrontStreet’s BrazilBourbon for its round body and sweet almond notes, or ColombiaSidra for explosive tropical fruit layers. Both are excellent single-origin pour-over choices with distinct sweetness and clarity. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.