MEET THE PRODUCER | For Maikol Fernandez, coffee became the family business two generations before his arrival, when Maikol's grandfather moved to Santa Barbara and planted a few coffee trees on a small plot of land back in 1970. Today, that same land (now called Finca Don Andres) is still farmed by many members of the Fernandez family, and still other members have started cultivating their own coffee farms on that very same mountain.

Maikol was gifted part of his father's land on the mountain just a few years ago. He is a young, gregarious producer, equipped with plenty of ambition and loads of family history. His cousin, Nahun Fernandez, was featured on our menu earlier this month, and together they are working to contribute to the legacy of the Fernandez family coffee story.

TRUST THE PROCESS | The honey processing method can be thought of as an "in-between" method of processing, compared to washed and naturally processed coffees. Using this method, the coffee is picked and sorted as red cherries before being pulped (removing the skin of the coffee cherry), but the small layer of fruit underneath the skin is left behind. The seeds - with their sticky fruit intact - are set out to dry, either on raised beds or patios. It is this added contact time between the fruit and the seed that, when done well, adds a characteristic sweetness to honey-processed coffees.

TAKE A SIP | The orange label on this coffee helps to distinguish its general flavor profile amongst our personal canon, but the coffee itself is also just very orange-heavy in its flavor characteristics, specifically - think tamarind, and navel oranges. It leans toward the tropical side of things, reminding us of passion fruit candy. A sweetness and texture like milk chocolate linger throughout.

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Origin | Las Flores, Santa Barbara, Honduras

Producer | Maikol Fernandez

Process | Honey

Variety |  Parainema