Mario Moreno / Honduras
Mario Moreno / Honduras
Notes of prune and green tangerine, green tea-like nuances, and a gentle sweetness reminiscent of hazelnut.
Producer: Mario Moreno
Farm: Piedras Amarillas
Region: Santa Barbara > Las Vegas > Los Andes
Variety: Pacas
Process: Washed
Altitude: 1,650 m a.s.l.
Harvest Year: 2025
Mario Moreno / Piedras Amarillas Farm
Mario Moreno is a coffee producer based in Santa Barbara, Honduras. He grew up learning coffee farming alongside his brothers under his father Daniel, who cultivated coffee for over 50 years. In 2004, Mario started his own farm, but the following year he temporarily migrated to the United States to support his family. During his absence, his wife—assisted by his brothers—continued to maintain the farm.
After returning home in 2009, Mario and his wife gradually expanded their operation, and today they manage four farms. Mario’s brothers and cousins also operate their own farms, making the Moreno family one of the region’s most prominent coffee-producing families.
Processing facilities such as the wet mill*¹, African beds*², and parabolic dryers*³ were jointly built and are shared among the family. We began purchasing Mario’s coffee in 2016, but our relationship was temporarily interrupted due to the pandemic. In 2025, we were finally able to visit again and resume our partnership.
As described later, their coffee is carefully hand-sorted at every stage, resulting in a remarkably clean cup. While not flashy, the coffee gradually reveals layers of flavor as you drink, offering a deep and quietly expressive experience.
Piedras Amarillas Farm
This small four-hectare farm is located near the town of San José de los Andes, where Mario lives, at an altitude of approximately 1,650 meters. “Piedras Amarillas” means “yellow stones” in Spanish, named after the yellow rocks scattered throughout the plot.
In Santa Barbara, where Mario grows his coffee, farms are situated on steep slopes surrounded by mountains. Cool air rises from Lake Yojoa below, creating a significant temperature difference between day and night. This environment allows coffee cherries to mature slowly, developing bright acidity and concentrated sweetness.
Mario primarily cultivates Pacas*⁴, along with Bourbon and Geisha varieties.
Harvest and Processing
Harvested cherries are pulped*⁵ on the same day, then undergo 24 hours of underwater fermentation*⁶ in concrete tanks, followed by four rounds of washing. They are then pre-dried on African beds, where defective beans*⁷ are removed by hand, before being slowly dried for approximately 20 days in parabolic dryers.
During harvest season, the family gathers to sort drying parchment*⁸ together—an annual tradition for the Moreno family. According to their exporter, San Vicente, the coffee arrives in such pristine condition that very little sorting is required at the dry mill*⁹. This family-driven manual work is the foundation of their quality.
| *¹ Wet Mill | A facility where coffee cherries are depulped, fermented, and washed |
| *² African Bed | A raised drying bed with mesh, allowing good airflow and even drying |
| *³ Parabolic Dryer | A greenhouse-style dryer that protects coffee from rain while using solar heat |
| *⁴ Pacas Variety | A natural mutation of Bourbon, originally from El Salvador and widely grown in Central America |
| *⁵ Pulping | The process of mechanically removing the fruit flesh from coffee cherries |
| *⁶ Underwater Fermentation | A fermentation method using water to break down remaining mucilage on the beans |
| *⁷ Defective Beans | Beans with quality issues such as under-ripeness, over-ripeness, or insect damage |
| *⁸ Parchment | Coffee beans still covered by the dried inner skin after pulping and washing |
| *⁹ Dry Mill | A facility where dried parchment is hulled and sorted by size and defects |
