Description
Huehuetenango — Guatemala
Finca El Panal
Jorge Mendez
Region Huehuetenango • Process Washed • Variety Caturra, Bourbon, Catuai • Elevation ~1,500–1,800 masl
RECOMMENDED ROAST: Light–Medium (City+ to Full City)
QUALITIES: sweet • clean • juicy body
CHAFF LEVEL: Medium
Flavor Profile
Winey • Soft Fruit • Caramel • Malty
Very sweet, clean, and balanced. Light roasts (City) highlight the citrus acidity and stone fruit notes. Moving toward a medium roast (City+), the body becomes juicy and syrupy, with deep notes of malt, toffee, and caramel dominating the cup. A hint of dark chocolate appears on the clean finish.
A great cup of Guatemalan coffee, not too acidity, a real sweet edge to this cup. Good from light to dark. Lighter roasts show a little more tart apple like acidity with just hints of a darker tone. Medium roasts have a nice sugary sweetness upfront, medium bodied, low acidity with more of a creamy malty tone that gives some hints of caramel. The winning roast level in our book. The beans hold a dark roast very nicely, touching 2nd crack did not introduce too much smoky or roasty tones, still sweet but much stronger, hints of a winy floral aspect mixing with darker chocolate and malty-ness.
Roasting Notes
A Versatile Bean: From Citrus to Chocolate
This is a dense SHB (Strictly Hard Bean) and is very versatile. It works wonderfully from a City+ all the way to a Full City. Lighter roasts will have more citrus and stone fruit acidity. Medium to darker roasts will develop a heavier body and bring out the chocolate, toffee, and caramel notes. A very easy-to-roast bean that offers rewards at a variety of levels.
TASTING NOTES — ROASTING NOTES
Light Roast (City)
Juicy body — Cherry/Stone fruit — Sweet — Bright citrus acidity — Clean finish
Medium Roast (City+)
Balanced — Caramel/Toffee — Rounded acidity — Syrupy body — Very sweet
Dark Roast (Full City)
Round body — Dark chocolate/Toffee — Low acidity — Deep caramel sweetness
OUR DIRECT RELATIONSHIP
A Partnership Forged Over Years
Our connection with the Martinez family and the Vista Hermosa community is not new; it’s a direct trade partnership we have proudly cultivated for over a decade. We consider the entire family, not just as producers, but as friends. This lot comes from **Jorge Mendez**, Edwin Martinez’s uncle and one of the coffee patriarchs of the region.
We have worked with Jorge and his family for many years and have had the privilege of visiting the region in person. This mutual trust allows us to gain access to consistent, beautiful lots like this one from Finca El Panal, ensuring quality that comes straight from the source.
THE PRODUCER AND THE FARM
Finca El Panal
Jorge Mendez manages Finca El Panal, which translates to “Honeycomb” named for the beehives he also keeps on the land. As one of the family patriarchs, Jorge embodies the coffee wisdom and tradition passed down from the original founder, his father Juan Martinez.
The farm itself is located in remote, mountainous terrain, about an 8-hour drive from Guatemala City. The coffee plantations, growing at altitudes reaching 1,800 meters, cling to incredibly steep slopes. This “impossible terrain” creates unique microclimates and promotes slow cherry maturation, resulting in a denser, sweeter, more complex bean.
This specific SHB (Strictly Hard Bean) lot is a classic representation of his farm, showcasing the clean and sweet profile that makes this micro-region famous.
PROCESSING AND QUALITY
Meticulous Control
Like the rest of the family, Jorge has meticulous control over his processing. The farm uses its own wet mill to process the hand-picked cherries. This lot is a classic washed, fermented to develop its clean and bright flavor profile, before being carefully sun-dried on patios.
This lot is a field blend of the region’s classic varieties: Caturra, Bourbon, and Catuai. The Bourbon provides the backbone of sweetness and complexity, Caturra contributes the bright acidity and cherry notes, and Catuai rounds out the cup, adding to its full, juicy body. Together, they create the balanced and sweet cup profile this area is famous for.
DISCOVER MORE
Our Visit with the Family
For a deep look at our relationship with the entire family, their history, and the incredible landscape of Huehuetenango, we have documented our visit. The article and video are centered on Finca Vista Hermosa, but the story is that of the whole family, including Jorge. We invite you to read and watch it.
Seasonality — Harvest (Guatemala)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Typical harvest window in Huehuetenango: Nov – Apr (peak Jan–Mar). Export shipments often depart 3–4 months later.
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