Description
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 Rodin, one of the third generation members, grows his 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 two bag nano-lot, only 300 pounds exist, personally created by Rodin Villatoro. Containing only the best ripest beans from Punta Del Cerro, processed/screened meticulously. Rodin is still up and coming in the industry, but many would consider him one of the best boutique coffee processors in all of Guatemala. This lots unique processing is called Mosto, leaves the coffee closer to a high acidity washed processed bean. It is similar to what they used to do in Kenya for the premium coffees before automation took over, but with Rodin’s own spin.
Tasting Notes: A beautiful more sizzling cup: lemon, floral and soft fruit comingle with an African like malt/chocolate/spice note. Although this coffee sat in the fruit for a bit, this is not a very fruity cup, one may be able to detect just a slight berry taste but it will be more acidic raspberry or blueberry like. Very highly rated, but only for those who will like brighter coffees roasted on the lighter side. A very sweet cup with citric and stone fruit highlights, medium bodied and higher acidity. Being a high rated bean, it is very clean at lighter roasts, which we thought presented it best but a very tasty cup in the medium roast range as well. Medium roasts build a cup leaned towards chocolate and malt tones, taking the edge off the brightness but reducing the depth of flavors present.
Roasting Notes:
A beautiful screen of coffee but being a nano-lot the beans are not strictly large, a mix of sizes. Roasts very even for all the beans were processed together in one batch. Medium chaff levels shouldn’t cause any issues. Bean surface color darkens quickly which can be a little tricky but 1st crack is generally on the louder side with decent expansion in size. High acidity coffee, the faster you roast, the more it will be accentuated. We also find a longer setup for higher acidity coffees is wise for top tastes. We would wait until first crack has subsided for light roast points and with its brightness, pushing the roast level to a city+, borderline medium roast is not a bad thing for most, will take a little edge off the brightness.
Mosto Double-Ferment Processing:
Picking: Coffee cherries handpick at 23°-24° Brix, to ensure optimal ripeness and sugar content.
Fermentation: The cherries are fermented for 40 hours in GrainPro bags while still in cherry form, with the addition of mosto liquid from a previous anaerobic fermentation to enrich the flavor profile with continuous monitoring of temperature and pH levels.
Second Fermentation: Coffee beans are depulped using minimum water and fermented for 40 hours in sealed grain-pro bags.
Drying: The beans are spread out on raised beds in a greenhouse for 14-17 days. They are turned manually every two hours to ensure even drying and covered each night to prevent re-moistening. The drying process continues until the coffee reaches an optimal moisture content of 11-12%
Rodin graduated as an Agronomical Engineer in 2017 with his thesis on Hydroponics. He is one of the five third generation Villatoros’ being groomed to oversee the family’s network of small farms. Rodin is confident and curious, implementing his father’s high standards on the farm with a grace that shows his potential. Having overseen much of the Gesha planting around the farm, he and his brother Jenner manage the naturals and an-aerobics. You’d probably find Rodin in the family cupping lab, or monitoring cherry on the new raised African drying beds. Rodin’s small lot is next to his COE award-winning uncle Pedro’s lots, and is called Las Cuevitas for the rock outcroppings and small caves punctuating the steep mountainside.
Each year the younger generation of the Villatoro family takes on more ownership of the family lots, planting new varieties, driving education and experimental processing, and cupping in the family lab.
Mr. Aurelio Villatoro, Rodin’s father, had the privilege to be born in the coffee environment; as a child he devoted himself to his elementary, secondary and diversified studies. At the end he returned to “Finca La Esperanza”, owned by his father, to practice his profession as an Automotive Mechanic but with the hope of giving continuity to the coffee production and that was how in 1986 he founded his own farm “Villaure”, name that carries his surname and first name.
He started with a very small productive area but with enthusiasm, dedication and hard work, he came to increase its productivity. From 2002 to 2021, it has received several national and international awards for the excellent quality of its coffee. Currently, Mr. Villatoro feels very satisfied because his children Jenner Villatoro and Rodin Villatoro are giving continuity to the efforts that for years they have been making in the Guatemalan coffee industry, being the third generation in coffee.
This farm has the privilege of being located on the slopes of one of the three mountains that surround it, which causes a very special micro climate suitable for coffee plantations. Due to the topography of the land and its position, it receives abundant heat in the morning and in the afternoon the sun arrives with less intensity. This makes it different and unique in the quality of coffee.
Connect directly with the farm! Check out their Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/finca_villaure_laesperanza/
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