El Salvador Gesha Coffee Review｜CO₂ Macerated Honey Process from Finca Ethiopia

 When you think of El Salvador coffee, what flavor notes come to mind first? Honey, caramel, brown sugar? Chocolate—especially milk chocolate—toffee, nuts? Many people are drawn to El Salvador coffees for their balance, softness, and layered complexity, which is why they’re often described as a benchmark for Central American coffee.

If I had to summarize the core flavor profile of El Salvador coffee, I’d say it’s defined by a pronounced sweetness, gentle yet bright acidity, a rich and silky mouthfeel, and a satisfying sense of structure and depth.

Today’s coffee, however, adds another dimension to that familiar picture. It sharpens your perception of El Salvador’s terroir at a more granular, regional level—almost filling in details you didn’t realize were missing. This is a bean with a strong flavor memory, and it’s absolutely worth a stop on your “origin-exploration journey” through El Salvador’s micro-regions.

A great cup of El Salvador coffee rarely leans toward anything aggressively intense. Instead, it feels like an elegant lady or gentleman—balanced and refined, sweet and smooth, with soft, bright acidity layered over classic chocolate and nutty undertones, finishing clean and lingering.
Well-known regions in El Salvador include the Apaneca–Ilamatepec mountain range, Chalatenango, and the Santa Ana volcano area. This CO₂ macerated honey-processed Gesha from Finca Ethiopia comes from the Apaneca region, where elevations above 1,200 meters and dramatic day-night temperature swings lead to more concentrated flavors, finer acidity, and greater complexity.

You might be wondering about the name—Ethiopia? Is this El Salvador or Ethiopia? 😄
In fact, Finca Ethiopia is one of the flagship farms of Los Naranjos Café. Established in 2018, this 34.5-hectare farm was renamed as a tribute to coffee’s birthplace. Of the total land, only 13 hectares are cultivated, while the rest is preserved as native forest to protect local flora and fauna.
Located behind the Ilamatepec volcano, the farm benefits from mineral-rich volcanic soil and a climate ideal for coffee cultivation. All the coffee is shade-grown under native trees, which plays a key role in producing higher-quality beans.

A Coffee Journey

The beans I tasted came from Zhu Huan Coffee, an “old friend” I’ve collaborated with before. Though they’re still a relatively young roaster, I’ve watched their roasting style mature over time. Their single-dose packaging, in particular, has become increasingly refined. After several rounds of tasting and evaluation, what stood out to me was how clearly the roast expresses terroir while still leaving a memorable flavor impression—something I consider essential.

Once ground, the dry aroma bursts with intense floral and fruity notes—deep red florals, quite concentrated—along with hints of candied fruit and malt sugar. Single-dose packs usually come in at a little over 16 grams; I’ll often use one or two beans to purge the grinder, then brew with 15 grams.
My total brew time was about 1 minute 41 seconds. The wet aroma after brewing reminded me of gently simmered fruit—orange and cherry—like a light fruit broth.

On the palate, what surprised me most was the texture. Even at a final brew ratio of 1:13, the cup felt light and refreshing rather than heavy. The acidity was elegant and restrained, with notes of orange and a tea-like bitterness at the finish. As the temperature dropped slightly, the floral character became even more expressive, almost resembling the aroma of fresh rose pastry. That transitional layering of flavors is where this coffee really shines—and it’s quite lovely.

This tasting sparked a deeper interest in Finca Ethiopia for me. A closer look revealed that their Gesha is already well known for its bright, juicy, and exceptionally clean profile. The farm relies on manual weed control using tools like machetes to avoid chemical herbicides, conducts soil research to guide nutrient management, and implements erosion control and water-collection pits to protect groundwater.
Before harvest, cherries undergo careful sweetness testing to ensure only the best fruit is processed. Last year, the farm also placed 7th in the experimental processing category (anaerobic natural) at the Cup of Excellence, making it a producer—and a region—well worth watching for coffee lovers.