CRUZ GORDA

We love Cruz Gorda for its depth and mouthfeel. Once brewed, expect flavours of sweet fruit and dark chocolate. Notes of cherry, blackberry, and ganache are deliciously smooth and a touch boozy.

Meeting Mauricio, his passion for coffee is plain to see. Driven to innovate, he has built on years of knowledge at Finca Himalaya to consistently produce Cup of Excellence winning coffees.

Finca Cruz Gorda was acquired by Mauricios family in the 1940s, to produce coffee alongside Finca Himalaya. Situated in Ilamatepec, El Salvadors 'Flower Route', the region is known for for the amazing bio diversity.

Walking his estates, it becomes instantly clear that the level of execution is in another league; with meticulous lot separation, different processing styles, huge wooden wine crates and anaerobic tanks all visible. Like us, Mauricio is driven by a desire to reduce his environmental impact, using rainwater for his washed process coffee and reusing the skin of the coffee cherries after they are pulped to produce cascara.

The terroir has an ideal combination of clay and volcanic soils, producing coffees with character. Most lots are grown under shade and across the farm cypress help provide habitat for a variety of flora and fauna.

Mauricio is a firm believer in the development of flavour during processing. At the micromill, the ripe cherries are sorted and transferred to raised beds to dry in thick layers, promoting a slow fermentation as the fruit of the cherry dries. In the following days, the coffee is spread in thinner layers and turned frequently for up to 25 days.