El Salvador — Carlos Pola Finca Las Brisas Pacas (Natural)

Tastes Like — 🌰 Praline Almond • 🌿 Cinnamon • 🍬 Dates

DETAILS

• Producer: Carlos Pola
• Farm: Finca Las Brisas
• Region: Juayúa, Apaneca Ilamatepec, El Salvador
• Varietal: Pacas
• Process: Natural
• Altitude: 1,250–1,300 masl
• Harvest: 2025

INTRO A vibrant profile from Carlos Pola's Finca Las Brisas — praline almond, cinnamon, and dates lead with a rich, spiced character, developing into 80% chocolate, cocoa powder, and a touch of caramel as it opens in the cup. Smooth body, soft and balanced acidity. In the cup: praline almond, cinnamon, and dates.

THE PRODUCER Carlos Pola, fifth generation of a farming family, worked in the textile industry for 20 years before dedicating himself fully to coffee in 2012, convinced specialty coffee would bring new opportunities. Today he manages Finca Las Brisas and two other family farms, investing in technology and sustainability to drive production. One of his key innovations is the use of mycorrhizal fungi, which form a symbiotic relationship with coffee trees, improving nutrient absorption and water retention — helping keep his trees healthy even during drought.

Finca Las Brisas sits in Juayúa, in the Apaneca Ilamatepec mountain range. When leaf rust severely affected the region in 2012-2013, Carlos renewed most of his farm with disease-resistant varieties, keeping only a small percentage of Bourbon. Today, the farm grows a mix of hybrids including Pacamara, Pacas, and others, balancing cup quality with sustainability. Carlos has also implemented contour-line farming to conserve water and prevent erosion, and uses QR-code traceability from farm to cup. This is Nomad's fourth consecutive year working with Carlos and his team, and the first with 100% direct trade.

THE PROCESS Cherries are floated in water for selection, then bagged for two days under shade to dehydrate. They're then spread to dry on beds — the first two days in sun, then finishing in shade.

The initial two-day shaded dehydration ahead of sun-drying is the defining step — it's what builds the rich, spiced praline almond and cinnamon character that define this cup.

THE CUP Rich and spiced — praline almond, cinnamon, and dates lead, developing into 80% chocolate, cocoa powder, and a touch of caramel as the cup opens. Smooth body with a soft, balanced acidity.

Flavour Notes 🌰 Praline Almond 🌿 Cinnamon 🍬 Dates