Tanzania Leon Christianakis - Pacamara

For the third year in a row, we are amazed by the quality of the work that Leon Christianakis is doing at Acacia Hills, and we couldn’t be happier to welcome two of his lots back onto our menu this season. This one, his washed pacamara, is as bright as ever, and yields oodles of jammy raspberry, candied lime citric acidity, and the round sweetness of ripe tropical soursop.

Leon Christianakis is the third generation of his family to grow coffee in Tanzania, his ancestors having immigrated from Greece in the early 20th century, with the intention of making a living in coffee production. The land they initially cultivated was not suitable, however, to growing specialty-grade coffee due to its low altitude; consequently, in the early 2000s, Leon began searching for lands at higher altitude that would be more suitable to the cultivation of coffee of exceptional quality. In 2007, Leon, in partnership with Mark Stell, purchased the land on Mount Oldeani that would become Acacia Hills, and planted trees whose varietals have high quality potential at altitude, namely, kent, SL28, pacamara, and geisha. Pacamara, which makes up this lot, was first created in 1958 by the Salvadoran Institute for Coffee Research by crossing the pacas and maragogipe varietals. Pacas, then, is a natural mutation of the bourbon varietal, and maragogipe is a natural mutation of the typica varietal. Pacamara is lauded within the industry for its overall quality and complexity of flavor, typically possessing a medium body and an abundance of citrus, berry, stone fruit, and floral flavor notes.

Pacamara was first created in 1958 by the Salvadoran Institute for Coffee Research by crossing the pacas and maragogipe varieties. Pacas, then, is a natural mutation of the bourbon variety, and maragogipe is a natural mutation of the typica variety. Pacamara is lauded within the industry for its overall quality and complexity of flavor, typically possessing a medium body and an abundance of citrus, berry, stone fruit, and floral flavor notes.