La Piñona, Honduras

Producer Sebastián Benitez grows these Pacas cherries on his farm above the town of El Cielito, overlooking Lake Yojoa. The cooler temperatures and fog from the lake slow down the maturation of the fruit—lending this offering rich, complex flavors.

La Piñona is the first coffee that Ritual purchased in the Santa Bárbara region of Honduras in 2007. For 18 years, Ritual has enjoyed the complex, bright, and sweet flavors from Sebastian’s farm. Ryan Brown, Ritual’s first green buyer, tasted La Piñona during a Cup of Excellence in Honduras and was immediately hooked. This coffee was the catalyst for expanding Ritual’s position in the Santa Bárbara region. Mauricio Benitez, Sebastian’s son, grows his own coffee on a farm directly adjacent to Piñona, and we have been lucky enough to source and serve it for several years.