Coffee was first introduced to El Salvador from the Caribbean as a garden crop in the mid-18th century but did not gain a commercial production foothold until the 1850’s because indigo, easier to grow and more profitable, was king. Coffee was first exported—695 bags—in 1856 and the government began to encourage coffee farming. Exponential growth coincided with the development of synthetic indigo near the end of the century. At one time, El Salvador was one of the largest producers of commercial coffee. Today, with a focus on quality over quantity, 70% of coffee from El Salvador sells for a premium above commodity prices.

Nestled in the foothills of the Santa Ana Volcano, Finca Lorena is a 28ha farm operated by Renato Arturo Romero and sourced in collaboration with Agricola San Agustin. In recent years San Agustin has focussed their attention on producing 'boutique' differentiated coffee lots.

This naturally processed lot is dried on clay patios for an average of 20 days.