Guatemala Huehuetenango

The Cup

Chocolate, orange toffee, creamy

Roast

Medium

Region | North, Huehuetenango

Producer | Var Smallholders

Process | Washed

Elevation | 1350-2000 MASL

Huehuetenago, Guatemala

Guatemala is a fascinating country with rich indigenous cultures and stunning natural habitats. The most striking features of its landscape are the 37 volcanoes, with several of them still being active. These volcanoes are not only attractive for travelers to discover but make up the distinct characters to be found in Guatemalan coffees. Set in the northwest, bordering Mexico, Huehuetenango has become one of the most well-known coffee growing areas in the country.

The name “Huehuetenango” stems from the historic Aztec language Nahuatl and translates into “place of the ancestors”. Elevation in this area reaches from 300 to 3,850 meters, creating ideal micro-climate conditions for coffee cultivation. However, this coffee is only grown on the mountain slopes ranging from 1,350 to 2,000 meters, classifying this coffee for strictly hard bean (SHB) grade.

Due to the high elevation, these beans grow slower than usual and develop a higher density, building a very hard core. This is fostered through intense sun exposure during the day, while cold and moist winds cool down the area at night. Along with higher density comes a complex abundance of citric and fruitful aromas that let coffee from Huehuetenango rank as one of the best gourmet coffees in the world.