Caballeros Marcellesa - Honduras

Vibrant and juicy with notes of blackberry, vanilla and jasmine. Silky mouthfeel.

Origin: Honduras
Region: Marcala
Producer: Marysabel and Moises Caballero at their farm Finca El Puente
Elevation: 1850 masl
Variety: Marcellesa
Process: Washed
Roasted for: Filter


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It is such a delight to share coffee from the Caballeros, especially when it comes to such a micro-lot as this washed Marcellesa. This is the first harvest of this lot, and Swerl has full exclusivity to this lot. 

Marysabel and Moises are very focused on sustainable practices in farming and milling. They have been extremely successful producing quality coffees and have contributed to the improving reputation of Honduran quality coffees.

Everything they do on the farms is documented, and they invest considerable time and resources both in new equipment and planting of new coffee varieties in order to improve the quality of the coffee.

This coffee is fully washed, which allows the delicate qualities of the acidity and sweetness to shine through. The coffee cherries are hand picked and then sorted to remove the underripe and overripe cherries. The skin and flesh are removed mechanically from the coffee bean and the remaining bits of pulp are removed in a 12 hour fermentation. After fermentation the beans are washed again for a further 12 hours in clean water. The washed beans are dried in the sun or shade for 11 - 20 days on raised drying beds. When they reach the desired level of dryness they are removed and stored until ready to be shipped.

Marysabel grew up in the Honduran region Marcala and stems from a long generation of coffee producers, from which she has harnessed her passion for nature and knowledge of the Honduran terroir.

Moises is of Guatemalan origin. He worked as an accountant for a coffee exporter, however while spending his time at the cupping table he jumped wholeheartedly into specialty coffee. In the early 90’s, he was sent by his company as production manager to Honduras where he met Marysabel and was inspired to stay. In 1996 Moises and Marysabel married. Since then, they have two sons and run the farm as partners.

Every year, the family optimizes the processing methods at their mill in Chinacla, while paying great attention to environmental protection and sustainability. Among other things, Moises has set up a modern coffee eco-pulper to save as much water as possible. For instance, whereas de-pulping a 46 kg batch of coffee cherries would require 120 liters, he now uses 40 liters. The water is recirculated and cleaned after each use.

Their coffees are dried either on patios, or on African Beds in the garden of their house in Marcala.

Also Moises has his own variety garden, which is affectionately called by Marysabel “Moises’s Garden of Eden”. Here Moises grows ancient, nearly forgotten coffee varieties in self-built greenhouses, does experiments and researches the effect and influence of temperature, water, wind, minerals and soil on his plants.