The 6 regions of Honduran coffee give you 6 reasons to love it

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras – Over the past few years, coffee has become one of Honduras’ most prized exports due to its sweet aromas and rich flavors. Honduras is the largest coffee exporter in Central America, the third in Latin America, and the sixth largest exporter worldwide.

Each of the country’s six coffee producing regions adds a nuanced flavor, making Honduran coffee some of the best coffee in the world.

1. Copán: Located near the Guatemalan border in altitudes of 1000-1500 meters, Copán produces a full, robust flavor with a hint of chocolate, while remaining balanced and pleasant. Last year, in a joint project between the government and coffee producers, they created the Ruta del Café, which runs the length of the country, where visitors can enjoy the different flavors of Honduran coffee, often beginning in Copán.
2. Opalaca: The Opalaca region runs to the east of Copán, with a slightly higher altitude, reaching 1100-1600 meters. This region’s coffee tends to have a slightly acidic taste, strong aroma, with delicate flavors of tropical fruits like grapes and berries. The Opalaca region gets recognized in conjunction with the “Taza de Excelencia” award, where a local farmer nominated Honduras to the “Cup of Excellence Award” looking to find the best cup of coffee in the world based on flavor and price ratios.
3. Montecillos: Situated on the southern tip of the Honduran/Salvadoran border, farmers in Montecillo cultivate a unique cup of coffee with sweet, fruity flavors of orange and peach, paired with a strong acidity that gives a velvet-like body. The highest coffee producing region in Honduras with altitudes reaching 1200-1600 meters, the coffee from Montecillos reflects the drink’s superior quality and taste within the world market. Café Marcala, a local brand in Montecillos, was the first registered brand of coffee in Honduras and Central America assuring it as a trusted and respected flavor.
4. Comayagua: Hidden in the center of the country, Comayagua coffee is harvested in December to March. In a cup of Comayagua, you can expect a sweet citrus flavor combined with a bright level of acidity, giving it a creamy body. As seen in Comayagua, along with other regions of Honduras, the climate and geography of each region adds to its high quality and delicious flavor.
5. Agalta: Located inland in a more tropical climate, with altitudes of 1100-1400 meters grows coffee from the Agalta region. Similar to Comayagua, it is only harvested from December to March for optimal flavor. Agalta coffee offers a diverse collection of tropical fruit flavors, with scents of caramel and chocolate, making it the perfect after-dinner drink. Honduran coffee, boasts the high quality work ethic of “manos hondureñas”, which allows the country to be a leader in the industry thanks to the work of hundreds of Honduran coffee farmers that work hard every day to produce the highest quality of coffee.
6. El Paraíso: One of the lowest coffee producing regions, reaching only 1100-1400 meters of altitude, El Paraíso touches the Nicaraguan border. This region’s profile reflects citric flavors with a sweet scent, a soft body and acidity, with a persistent after-taste. As a part of the Ruta del Café, the coffee found in El Paraíso, together with the coffee from the other five regions “allows us to give the best of Honduras to domestic tourists as well as foreigners, while providing greater opportunities for our farmers,” as said by René León Gómez, the general manager of the Honduran Coffee Institute (IHCAFÉ).

The geographical diversity of this Central American country provides coffee connoisseurs with six unique flavor profiles that together, all make one constant product: the world’s best coffee.