I first came across coffee from San Sebastian in 2018, when I met Adrian Cabrera. Adrian’s father, Edgar, is Estuardo’s partner in the exporting business called “San Miguel Coffee”. Even though San Miguel is a large exported based in the Antigua region, I have been impressed in that they are also able to operate and behave like a smaller, boutique exporter of specialty coffee.

Adrian, together with his cousin (Estuardo’s son) Sebastian, have been at the forefront of San Miguel’s push for better quality coffee. They have been pushing the envelope on varietal selection for new plantings, processing methods, cupping protocols, lot separation and many other quality-centred initiatives. I’ve visited both of them several times, and besides having a great time with them, I have been able to connect with them on our vision for quality.

In previous years, we have offered a natural processed Pacamara from the Falla Family that is excellent as an espresso. They have been experimenting and refining their natural process for a few years now, and the result has been a large leap forward in terms of quality. We will be offering the Pacamara later this year, but this offering is a washed Bourbon variety harvested in March of this year.

This green coffee, as always, was frozen immediately on arrival in Calgary, to preserve freshness.

-Sebastian