Introduction:The year 2024 marks the 20th anniversary of Honduras hosting the COE (Cup of Excellence) international coffee competition. In this edition, the Opalaca region shone brightly, with eight out of the top ten coffees coming from this area. Among them, La Salsa Estate won the championship with a washed Gesha variety, scoring an impressive 91.21 points. The farm owner, Benjamin Paz Muñoz, had also claimed this honor back in 2022. This article delves into the terroir of Honduran coffee, the flavor characteristics of the Opalaca region, and how La Salsa Estate has crafted its championship profile through meticulous cultivation and processing techniques.
Honduras is located in the northern part of Central America, characterized by mountainous and plateau terrain, with over three-quarters of the country covered by hills and mountains, and only a small portion of the coastal areas being plains. About half of the nation’s land is forested, and the climate is tropical, with warm and humid conditions year-round along the coast, averaging around 23°C. Coupled with microclimates in the mountainous regions, this creates a diverse and ideal environment for specialty coffee production.
As early as 1970, the Honduran Coffee Institute (IHCAFE) began efforts to upgrade the coffee industry by providing technical guidance and quality management. It designated six major coffee-growing regions: Copan, Opalaca, Montecillos, Comayagua, Agalta Tropical, and El Paraíso. These regions generally sit at elevations above 1,100 meters, with the annual coffee harvest season concentrated between November and March of the following year, making them key bases for producing high-quality coffee.
Among these, the COE (Cup of Excellence) is one of the most authoritative specialty coffee competitions globally, not only known for its rigorous judging but also for offering an online auction platform for winning lots, enabling top-quality regions from around the world to step onto the international stage. Since joining the competition, Honduras has delivered outstanding performances every year, and 2024 is particularly significant as it marks the 20th anniversary of the country hosting the COE.
In this year’s competition, the Opalaca region emerged as the biggest highlight, with eight out of the top ten coffees originating from here. Spanning the departments of Santa Bárbara, Intibucá, and Lempira, the region sits at elevations between 1,100 and 1,700 meters, with abundant annual rainfall of about 1,350 to 1,900 millimeters. This environment gives rise to coffees with delicate acidity, layered complexity, and vibrant fruit aromas. Typical flavor notes include tropical fruits such as grapes and mulberries, sweet sensations of honey and caramel, along with a refreshing lemony acidity, and a long, sweet aftertaste.
Among the many outstanding entries, La Salsa Estate from the Opalaca region stood out with a washed Gesha variety, scoring 91.21 points and winning the 2024 COE championship. This is not the first time the estate has claimed an award; farm owner Benjamin Paz Muñoz had also taken home the championship in 2022 with exceptional quality, showcasing his deep expertise in coffee cultivation and processing.
La Salsa Estate is located in the department of Santa Bárbara, at an elevation of 1,680 meters, making it a classic high-altitude specialty coffee growing area. Farm owner Benjamin grows a diverse range of coffee varieties here, including Bourbon, Typica, Pacas, SL28, and the premium Gesha. Together with his cousins Arturo Paz and Fidel Paz, he manages the San Vicente coffee processing facility, which is equipped with state-of-the-art processing equipment. Every step—from fresh cherry selection, fermentation control, to drying—is meticulously managed to ensure the full expression of the coffee’s flavors.
Beyond focusing on improving the quality of his own farm, Benjamin is also actively helping local farmers and roasters. Through knowledge sharing and resource integration, he is elevating the overall coffee standard in the Santa Bárbara mountain region, further solidifying its position in the global specialty coffee market. For pour over enthusiasts or coffee aficionados seeking unique flavor profiles, La Salsa Estate’s washed Gesha not only showcases the floral and citrus notes typical of the Gesha variety, but also delivers a brighter, cleaner acidity and a crisp finish thanks to the washed process—making it an excellent choice for both entry-level and advanced coffee tasting.
Looking ahead, the performance of subsequent batches of this championship washed Gesha remains highly anticipated. Whether enjoyed as a daily brew or collected as a competition-grade lot, it promises to deliver a distinctive taste experience for coffee lovers.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
