Guatemala El Colmenar Washed

Country:  Guatemala
Region:  Antigua
Varietal: Bourbon, Catuai, Caturra
Process:  Washed
Altitude:  1,500 MASL
Cupping:  Almond, Brown Sugar, Red Apple

Description:  In 1977, Mr. Samuel Coto Escobar purchased his first coffee plantation, Finca El Platanillo, and managed it until 1985. In 1985 the farm management was passed to Mr. Samuel’s youngest son, Mr. Stuardo Coto. Since then, management has focused on the ecosystem, the community, coffee quality and productivity.

This lot comes from one of the Coto Families newest farms, El Colmenar, in Antigua. Antigua was the first region to grow coffee as an ornamental plant in Jesuit convents, and it later became a livelihood. It is also the region that became the first Denomination of Origin in Guatemala. The farm produces coffee under the shade of Avocado and Gravilea trees in the San Cristobal el Bajo municipality.

This lot was washed and fermented for 24 to 36 hours to clean the coffee of any mucilage, and then dried over roughly one week. We love coffee from Antigua as much as we love visiting the town itself, on our trip to Guatemala in 2023 we were able to tour this farm which is just outside of the lively town center. With notes of Almond, Brown Sugar, and Red Apple, this is a very typical cup profile for the region, and a great daily drinker style of coffee.