Guatemala 6 Half-Pound Sampler

Description

A half pound each of:

Guatemalan Premium Huehue. – Rodin/Jenner Villatoro – Punta Del Cerro – Gesha Washed

A bright, sizzling Huehue Gesha nano-lot with lemon, florals, and soft fruit over a sweet chocolate/caramel foundation. This is a very highly rated, clean cup that shines best at lighter roasts, while medium roasts lean more toward malt and chocolate and soften the brightness. We don’t recommend taking this coffee dark, since it will mute the Gesha aromatics and sacrifice clarity.

Very seldom do we see coffees this special. This Punta Del Cerro Gesha is a tiny nano-lot only three bags hand crafted by the Villatoro brothers, with meticulous processing and screening. The result is a super unique, highly rated coffee that rewards lighter roasts and showcases the Gesha’s clarity and aromatics.

Punta Del Cerro is a very high altitude coffee field owned by the Villatoro family, located on one of their top farms, Finca Esperanza. The Villatoro family is widely regarded as top-tier boutique processors in Guatemala, and this lot reflects that focus on detail—from cherry selection to final prep. The family is multi-generational and has earned numerous national and international awards for coffee quality.

Tasting Notes: A highly aromatic cup where lemon and lemongrass lead the profile, layered over chocolate and caramel sweetness. Expect a clean, tea-like finish with a delicate rose-like floral impression. The acidity is lively and sparkling (think green grape), balanced by smooth rounded sweetness that can evoke ripe apple, plus a soft tea-spice undertone and occasional subtle nutty/peanut depth in lighter roasts.

Roasting Notes: An even-roasting coffee with medium chaff, but the bean surface can darken quickly so roast color can be a misleading guide. First crack is typically loud with good expansion; manage development carefully so it doesn’t race past your target. Faster roasts will accentuate brightness; a longer, steadier setup early can refine the cup and improve top-end clarity. For light roast points, wait until first crack has fully subsided before dropping. City+ (borderline medium) is a sweet spot for many drinkers; we don’t recommend a dark roast.

Guatemalan Premium Huehue. Vista Al Bosque – Maragogype Washed

This is a neighboring farm to Finca Vista Hermosa in Huehue. A special chop from Vista Al Bosque they put together with Edwins help. Maragogype is a giant bean strain, much much larger than most coffees, makes Colombian Supremo look medium to small. Sure, giant beans are cool, but this cup is all about the tastes: super clean, very chocolaty, medium acidity, fuller bodied, rich and complex darker tones, a tasty treat for any coffee fan.

Tasting Notes: Great cup from light to dark. The tastes range from winey citric, floral, fruit and malt at lighter roasts, to a super hefty, rich chocolate and spice noted cup with some complimenting roasty overtones at darker roasts. We liked it best at the medium roast point, not too bright, great balance of light and dark tones, easy drinking.

Floral and lemon will hit you over the head at light roasts. Very sweet cup with some fruity character within the brighter more citric cup profile. Incredibly clean cup which will pull some balance and clear tones at lighter than normal roast points. Similar to the Pacamara, will have some tea like spicy dark tones in the aftertaste, medium bodied with great mouthfeel. This cup is highly rated for it’s floral/citric/fruity front end, rare attributes and strong enough to not burn out at fuller roasts. Making this cup very tasty and unique from light to dark.

Roasting Notes: This coffee is easy to roast, with medium chaff and a steady, forgiving roast behavior. The beans appear larger similar in size and look to Pacamara so we recommend using a bit more heat/power early on to properly drive the roast and maintain momentum. Because of the larger screen size, be mindful of airflow (fan/chaff management), since bigger beans can influence airflow dynamics and may require slight adjustments to keep the roast even and the chaff collector clear. We recommend a light to medium roast, where its floral character stays vibrant and the citrus acidity remains clearly defined, supported by chocolate and caramel sweetness for structure. Darker roasts tend to push it toward a more chocolate-forward profile, reducing acidity and muting the floral expression, so it’s best not to take it too dark if you’re aiming for a brighter cup.

Guatemalan Huehue. – Rodin/Jenner Villatoro – Punta Del Cerro – Natural

Punta Del Cerro is a very high altitude coffee field owned by the Villatoro family located on one of their top farms, Finca Esperanza. The Villatoros are one of the top coffee growing families in Guatemala and have won many awards. This field is where the younger brothers: Rodin and Jenner, third generation farmers, grow their nano lot coffees. Very high elevation combined with award winning strains and processing. Owned and operated by multiple generations of the Villatoro family. Who also happen to be good friends with our buddies (the Martinez family) at Finca Vista Hermosa, one of our first direct relationships.

This is a three bag nano-lot, only 450 pounds exist, hand crafted by the Villatoro brothers. This lot contains only the best ripest beans from Punta Del Cerro, processed/screened meticulously. Many consider the family the best boutique coffee processors in all of Guatemala. An incredibly clean & fruity natural, well balanced and sweet.

Tasting Notes: A beautiful cup at the lighter roast points. Mild mannered and very delicate comparatively to many naturals, no over ferment here. Which is part of the crazy high rating on these beans. Crystal clean at lighter roasts, fruit forward but not over the top. A bit lower acidity cup that pulls a great balance between the light and dark tones. Great  winey, floral and stone fruit notes upfront balancing with a hint of a malty and/or chocolaty undertone, hints of nuttiness is the aftertaste.  Incredibly smooth and well defined cup at lighter than normal roast levels is what puts these beans into a category of its own.

Roasting Notes: Beautiful beans and preparation, this is no ferment bomb. A bit higher chaff being natural processed, and slightly uneven roasting compared to a washed processed. Surface color darkens a bit quickly but the expansion in size and chaff coming off will be a great sign of first crack. To see these beans shine, you have to keep them at pretty light roasts levels, about 90-95% through first crack you want to keep a close eye and think about cooling. Slightly uneven roasting, generally not an issue for most. A piece of good advice, you do not want to wait for the possible last “1st” crack out of the batch before hitting cool. If you get this one too dark, it turns a bit plain tasting, still a tasty cup but may leave you wondering why it cost so much. Light roasts are where this cup shines and separates itself from average.

Guatemalan Premium Fraijanes – Finca De Dios – La Morita Washed

This coffee is a versatile gem, suitable for roasting to your preferred level, whether you love a medium roast or enjoy exploring the depths of a dark roast. Light roasts reveal a delightful symphony of floral brightness and delicate fruit notes reminiscent of the finest Costa Rican coffees. These flavors are intertwined with a subtle, yet lovely malty and chocolaty undertone.  For those who crave the boldness of a dark roast, you can expect a rich and full-bodied experience akin to the famous Huehuetenango beans. What truly sets this coffee apart is its ability to maintain a clean, non-roasty profile even as you push it toward the second crack during roasting. The consistency ensures you’ll savor those sweet malty tones and enjoy a velvety smoothness at any roast level.

Finca De Dios is all about sustainability and treating folks right. They go the extra mile for their hardworking team, offering education, support, and good old-fashioned kindness that you won’t find on most other coffee farms. At the heart of their mission is the belief that they’ve been blessed to be a blessing to others. They treat their workers with respect and care, striving to create an atmosphere of dignity and peace. Special consideration is given to accommodating workers with unique needs, matching them with suitable job roles. They also strongly emphasize teaching their employees values and principles, emphasizing the importance of delivering excellence and ensuring that their customers can savor an exceptional cup of coffee.

Tasting Notes: A great bean for any roast level, works well from light to dark. Light roasts produce a lot of floral brightness and light fruit notes (almost reminiscent of a nice Costa) mixing with a subtle yet very sweet malty chocolaty note (can be a little more challenging to roast to a light roast)  a great morning brew – darker roasts will produce more body similar to the Huehues – very clean non-roasty dark-roast beans – you get a lot of the sweet malty tones and very smooth even into 2nd crack – a very stand up bean at almost any roast level.

Roasting Notes: Lighter roasts accent the fruitier brightness, deeper levels deliver smooth, rich chocolate malty flavors and a hint of smokiness – awesome and clean dark roast notes. Coffee will roast a little two-toned containing a couple different strains, if shooting for the lighter roasts slowing it down a bit will be helpful.

Guatemalan Premium Huehuetenango – Finca Vista Hermosa – Washed

From the remote mountains of Huehuetenango, Guatemala, comes this exceptional lot from our long-time friend and partner, Edwin Martinez. Finca Vista Hermosa is a pillar of our Guatemalan offering, and this lot shines with sweet, winy, malty and nutty centered notes. An easy-drinking, “chuggable” cup as some would say, notably balanced coffee that maintains a clean structure.

Our connection with Edwin Martinez and Finca Vista Hermosa isn’t new; it’s a direct-trade partnership we’ve proudly cultivated for more than a decade. We consider Edwin not only a producer but a friend. This long-term relationship is built on mutual trust and a shared passion for exceptional coffee. We’ve had the privilege of visiting Finca Vista Hermosa in person, walking its “impossible slopes,” and seeing first-hand the dedication Edwin and his team put into every harvest. This trust gives us priority access to standout lots like this one, ensuring quality and consistency you simply can’t find on the open market.

Tasting Notes: A tasty mix of tones, great from light to dark. The cup profile is mostly down the malty side but these beans have some awesome jazz. Medium roasting really pulls together a tasty treat but you can take it lighter or darker depending on personal taste preference. Hints of floral mixing with smooth nutty & malty features. Will show some winy citric and fruit acidity in the light to medium roast spectrum but all in all a medium to low acidity brew with a medium body. Smooth, clean and sweet edged, a cup we are more than willing to drink all day. Guatemalans almost always hold dark roasts nicely for adding a little sweet malty note to the smoky and roasty tones is a tasty mix.

Roasting Notes: Easy to roast, being a hand crafted lot by Edwin himself, you can see a little variance in color but it is small, putting this in the easy to roast category. Medium to low chaff. If you do not have a personal roast level preference, try it first at a nice medium roast.

Guatemalan Huehuetenango – BCT Select – Washed

This coffee hails from the Huehuetenango department in Western Guatemala, bordering Mexico, a region renowned for producing some of the best coffees in Latin America due to its distinct climate, abundant water sources, and traditional varieties. Grown at extreme altitudes ranging from 1,400 to 2,200 meters above sea level. Huehuetenango plays a massive role in the area, where coffee accounts for roughly 80 percent of the local economy. The geography here is crucial; warm winds from the Mexican plains allow coffee to grow at these high elevations without frost, fostering exceptional density and sweetness.

Being a small aggregate production, these beans give the taste of the land, terroir some would say. It is not traceable to a single farm but is a curated collection of coffees from smallholders that cup between 84 and 87 points. A clean, premium example of origin. Agronomically, this lot is a mix of varieties including Bourbon, Caturra, Catimor, Maragogype, and Pache. The coffee undergoes a traditional washed process where it is depulped and fermented for 12 to 48 hours depending on the climate before being washed clean and dried on patios or raised beds.

Tasting Notes: A wonderful daily drinker from medium to dark roasts. Hints of semi-sweet winey acidity comingle with a rich malty undertone. Medium bodied with medium to low acidity. In light to medium roast range, the cup is crisp, showcasing a brighter citric note that comingles with a little nuttier darker note. Medium to dark roasts cut out the acidity creating a creamier mouthfeel. A smooth and rich cup. A bit roasty tasting into second crack but does compliment the semi-sweet and complex darker tones.

Roasting Notes: Due to the high growing altitude of up to 2,200 meters, these beans are quite dense and hard, meaning they can take heat well. We recommend a Medium Roast to achieve the best balance. As an aggregate lot from various smallholders, there may be slight variations in bean size, but it generally roasts evenly. To highlight the citrus and apple notes, try ending the roast shortly after the first crack. If you prefer to boost the chocolate, Kahlua, and nutty characteristics, extend development towards the start of the second crack. Keep in mind the bean density might require a bit more energy at the start of the roast compared to lower-grown beans.