El Salvador Los Pirineos

Finca Los Pirineos has produced Cup of Excellence coffees no fewer than eight times, four of which were ranked among the top ten. It is one of the most well-known farms in El Salvador, as it was one of the first to focus coffee production on the specialty coffee market. Gilberto Baraona, who passed away in 2020, was one of the pioneers in farm modernization. Today, his son Diego Baraona manages the farm and shares the same passion for coffee that his father had.

Cafés El Magnífico maintains a special relationship with this farm, as Salvador Sans was a close friend of Gilberto and they met through the Cup of Excellence. In 2023, Claudia Sans had the great opportunity to travel to El Salvador and visit Diego’s farm. The processes are meticulous, the varieties are very well cared for, and the quality control through cupping is excellent. Additionally, Diego is one of the best hosts one could wish for, Claudia confirms.

At Los Pirineos, there are around 20 coffee varieties in production, including Rume Sudan, SL-28, Batian, and Gesha, although Pacamara and Bourbon are the core coffees, representing approximately 80% of the farm’s volume. In addition to the 20 varieties currently in production, Los Pirineos also maintains its own coffee variety garden and nursery, which contains approximately 70 different coffee varieties. This work with varieties was a passion of Diego’s father, which he continues with great dedication.

After harvest, the ripe cherries are carefully selected and dried on raised beds under controlled conditions. The coffee is regularly turned to ensure uniform drying and to prevent over-fermentation. The drying phase continues until the cherries reach the ideal moisture level for export, thereby preserving the vibrant characteristics of the variety and its terroir.