Country: Guatemala
Region:Guatemala City
Varietal: Bourbon
Process: Natural
Altitude: 1,450 - 1,550 MASL
Cupping Notes: Black Tea, Grapefruit, Tangerine
Recommended Roast:City to Full City+
Good For:Pour Over, Auto Drip, Espresso

Description: Fransisco Quezada, the producer at La Labor Estate, is affectionately known by customers, friends, and family as Chespi. He is the 4th generation manager the farm who, like most of his family members, grew up only meters away from La Labor. The Quezada family has considered the Guatemala City farm a treasure that lives harmoniously with the urban surrounding, serving as a natural lung for the area. The remarkable estate has gained global acclaim for its exceptional coffee quality, which has been featured multiple times in the Cup of Excellence thanks to the efforts of Chespi and his team. The farm experiences a subtropical highland climate, often referred to as Cwb according to the Köppen climate classification. The annual weather exhibits distinct dry and wet seasons. From November to April, it enters the dry season, characterized by a noticeable decrease in precipitation and a corresponding rise in temperatures. Average daytime temperatures range between 20 to 27 degrees Celsius (68 to 81 degrees Fahrenheit), while nights are relatively cooler, hovering around 12 to 16 degrees Celsius (54 to 61 degrees Fahrenheit). During the wet season, spanning from May to October, encounter a surge in rainfall and increased humidity levels. The intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) plays a significant role in the monsoonal precipitation, contributing to the refreshing showers. Annual precipitation amounts vary from 1,000 to 2,000 millimeters (39 to 79 inches), with higher amounts in the western and northern regions of the city.

After skilled farmers handpick only the ripest coffee fruits, ensuring the highest quality beans, this process involves placing the freshly harvested cherries in airtight barrels and injecting CO2 to create a rich, carbon-dioxide environment. The CO2 enables the cherries to break down different levels of pectins, often resulting in bright, wine-like coffees with strong red fruit notes.