Natividad Benitez, Honduras
Natividad Benitez, Honduras
This legendary lot from Natividad Benitez, El Ocotillo, helped put Santa Barbara, Honduras on the map as one of the world's best coffee-producing regions, winning the Cup of Excellence competition in 2005. GGET co-founder Charles Babinski won the United State Barista Championship and finished second in the World Barista Championship using this lot. This is a special coffee.
TASTING NOTES: Cherry, apple, walnut
ROAST LEVEL: Filter roast
PROCESSING METHOD: Washed
VARIETY: Pacas, IH90
REGION: Santa Barbara
ABOUT NATIVIDAD BENITEZ
Some coffees are good, and some are foundational. What Natividad Benitez does at his farm, El Ocotillo, is the latter. Known as Nati to friends and neighbors, he has been as influential in Santa Barbara as the Paz family, who operate Beneficio San Vicente—the mill through which nearly all of the region’s best coffees pass.
In 2005, Nati won the first-ever Cup of Excellence in Honduras, putting Santa Barbara on the global specialty coffee map. His winnings allowed him to expand from one hectare to five, improve his processing, and uplift his family and community. He even helped another producer we work with, Roger Vasquez, acquire some of his best land.
We’ve worked with El Ocotillo for years—even before we started roasting. GGET co-founder Charles Babinski used it to win the U.S. Barista Championship and place second in the World Barista Competition.
