Benjamin Paz - La Salsa SL28

MEET THE PRODUCER | Benjamin Paz is a cornerstone of Honduran specialty coffee, and we’re not just saying that because he’s a personal friend. A third generation producer with deep roots in both coffee production and exporting, Benjamin began working with the exporting venture, San Vicente, in 2008 and began growing his own coffee four years later. Since those first trees were planted, Benjamin has won the Honduras Cup of Excellence multiple times, including in 2024, when our director and head roaster had the tremendous privilege of celebrating with him in person. 

Away from the cupping table, Ben is an advocate for both environmental stewardship and economic opportunity. On his own farms, he has championed sustainable farming practices and forest conservation initiatives for years. Additionally, through his work with San Vicente, Ben pours a great deal of energy into connecting other local producers to reputable specialty roasters, helping to ensure fair prices for the farmers in his beloved Santa Barbara region.

TRUST THE PROCESS | After being handpicked at peak ripeness, the coffee cherries are pulped and put into open tanks to ferment for 20 hours. Once the mucilage is fermented, the beans are rinsed four times, then placed on raised beds to dry for a day. Lastly, the beans are put in a solar dryer for around 14 days to dry.

TAKE A SIP | Benjamin’s kind and careful approach to fermentation is on full display in this coffee! Floral, like white flowers, and sticky-sweet, like panela sugar, it’s the perfect complement to spring weather. Throughout the cup, a vibrant acidity shines, like fresh grapefruit. Black currant is a rare and delightful addition to the flavor call sheet. From the first sip to the last, this coffee is delicate and beautiful, tasting like a piano sounds.

Origin | El Cedral, Santa Barbara, Honduras

Producer | Benjamin Paz

Farm | La Salsa

Process | Washed

Variety | SL28

Elevation | 1600 MASL

SL28 is a Kenyan-bred varietal long celebrated for its vivid fruit expression and complex acidity — traits that have made it a sought-after cultivar when transplanted to high-altitude farms in Central America. Producer Benjamin Paz grows this lot in Santa Barbara, Honduras, a region known for rich volcanic soils and mountainous growing conditions at 1600 masl.

The washed process strips away the fruit's pulp before drying, directing a roaster's attention toward the bean's intrinsic character rather than fermentation-derived sweetness. For SL28 specifically, this tends to amplify brightness and floral clarity. Black & White Coffee Roasters describe this cup through a lens of white flowers, panela sugar, fresh grapefruit, and black currant — flavors that reflect both the varietal's characteristic citrus-and-berry profile and the precision that washed processing typically affords.