Esmeralda Mario San Jose is our favorite of the three Mario lots. We found this year's Mario San Jose to have a sweet sugar cane, jasmine and apricot on the nose and a variety of stone fruit (pomegranate, honeydew melon) in the cup. Overall, it offers a distinct sweet acidity and syrupy body that creates a balanced cup.

Esmeralda Special comes from the area known as Mario, in the growing region Jaramillo. San Jose prefers to the best-known patron Saint of the province, and his celebrated day is March 19th. Mario San Jose was harvested during the month of March and was purchased during 2012 Esmeralda Auction. .

The Peterson Family has won countless first place prices in national cupping events, their geisha varietal coffee is world renowned - gaining Hacienda Esmeralda top honors. Mario San Jose comes from a part of the estate located in high altitude above the creek.

As mentioned before, Hacienda La Esmeralda is the holder of online coffee auction records, once when it sold for $21 dollars a pound on June 29th, 2004, again on May 30, 2006 when it sold for $50.25 a pound and in May 2007 when it sold for $130 a pound and this year was no different.