Arturo Paz Geisha Natural DR Filter

Arturo is a third-generation coffee grower and part of the close-knit Paz family, who have worked hand-in-hand for years to promote Honduran coffee. From their base in Peña Blanca, Santa Bárbara, they operate San Vicente Coffee Exporters, a dry mill and export company that has been key in transforming the region.

In 2012, Arturo and his cousin Benjamín—known for his contagious energy and for also being a renowned producer—decided to start their own coffee project in the mountains of Santa Bárbara, right on the edge of a natural reserve. The microclimate is unusual for Honduras: altitudes ranging from 1,630 to 1,730 m, fresh and humid air, and vegetation that remains green even in the dry season, thanks to the dense clouds that embrace the mountains.

For a long time, Santa Bárbara was not synonymous with quality coffee. But the Paz family took a strong gamble on changing that narrative: they researched, tested varieties, and supported local producers with great potential. Today, this area is a benchmark, and much of that has to do with their work.

Arturo has turned his farm into a laboratory of excellence, dividing it into plots to cultivate unique varieties: Pacas, Pacamara, Bourbon, Maragogype... and even a plot dedicated exclusively to Gesha. A commitment to quality that has put his farm—and Santa Bárbara—on the specialty coffee map.

On this occasion, both producers together decided to try a new way of drying their coffee, doing it in a dark room. On one of Arturo's farms, they set up refrigerated containers that were kept at 18 degrees with dehumidifiers running throughout the process. There they naturally dried their coffee. The coffee took 55 days to dry. This gives us new dimensions and depth in the cup, with floral notes, fine teas accompanied by a dense and creamy body, with a lot of sweetness.