Santa Bárbara · Variety
Catuai in Santa Bárbara
Santa Bárbara is known for mountain micro-lots of shocking fruit intensity — honduras's quality vanguard, and Catuai is one of the varieties behind that reputation. The region's farms sit at 1,400–1,750 m — Catuai's preferred range is 900–1,800 m — and harvest runs january – april, the window in which the variety's character is decided in the field.
Catuai brings its own agronomic personality to Santa Bárbara: a compact, wind-resistant plant with high yield potential, and disease behavior best summarized as susceptible to rust. Regional processing leans on washed, honey, natural, which shapes how the variety's raw material reaches the cup.
Tasted side by side with the same variety from other regions, Santa Bárbara's expression stands apart: the variety contributes chocolate, almond, mild red fruit, while the regional cup runs toward tropical fruit, grape, and honey with vibrant acidity — pacas lots from the mountain's best farms cup like kenyan-ethiopian hybrids. That interaction — genetics times place — is exactly what regional sourcing is about.
Key facts
| Region | Santa Bárbara |
|---|---|
| Country | Honduras |
| Region altitude | 1,400–1,750 m |
| Variety optimal altitude | 900–1,800 m |
| Harvest | January – April |
| Species | Arabica |
| Lineage | Caturra × Mundo Novo, bred by IAC Brazil (released 1972) |
| Disease resistance | Susceptible to rust |
| Regional cup profile | Tropical fruit, grape, and honey with vibrant acidity — Pacas lots from the mountain's best farms cup like Kenyan-Ethiopian hybrids. |
Catuai in Santa Bárbara — frequently asked questions
Does Catuai grow well in Santa Bárbara?
Yes — the region's 1,400–1,750 m range overlaps the variety's preferred 900–1,800 m, and local processing traditions (washed, honey, natural) suit its characteristics. It is one of the varieties Santa Bárbara is known for.
What does Santa Bárbara Catuai taste like?
Expect chocolate, almond, mild red fruit, expressed through the region's typical character: tropical fruit, grape, and honey with vibrant acidity — pacas lots from the mountain's best farms cup like kenyan-ethiopian hybrids.
When is Catuai from Santa Bárbara harvested?
The regional harvest runs january – april; fresh lots typically reach export markets one to three months after milling.
Volcana Coffee grows high-altitude Catimor, Typica, and washed Fine Robusta in our own volcanic region — the Bolaven Plateau, Laos. Compare our terroir against any region in the world, cup to cup.
Request a Sample