GUATEMALA: QUETZAL

Tastes like

Dried Mango

Molasses

Buckwheat Honey

Dried mango, molasses, and buckwheat honey. This is what Huehuetenango does.

You get concentrated dried mango sweetness up front, deep molasses richness through the middle, and a warm buckwheat honey finish that lingers long after the cup is done.

Region

Huehuetenango

Country

Guatemala

Variety

Bourbon, Catimor, Caturra, Maragogype, Pache

Process

Washed

Elevation

1400–2200 MASL

Harvest

December–May

The coffee

Quetzal is a program built on a simple idea. Buy more, pay more, reward quality. Named after Guatemala's national bird, Quetzal was born out of conversations with producers who wanted to sell more of their coffee. It allows for buying along a broader quality spectrum while ensuring the hardworking smallholder farmers of Guatemala are fairly compensated for what they produce. High-grown, hard-bean Guatemalan coffees have long been a roaster's staple. Crisp acidity, full body, and natural sweetness make them as valuable on their own as they are as the backbone of a blend. This lot represents that tradition at its best.

Origin

Huehuetenango sits in Western Guatemala on the border with Mexico, and produces some of the best coffees in Latin America. Its climate, altitude, water sources, and traditional varieties all contribute to a cup that can range from full and chocolatey to bright and fruit-forward. Most producers here are smallholders working independently or through cooperative associations, supported by Anacafé, Guatemala's national coffee institute, which provides research, market access, and agronomic guidance. The region was hit hard by the coffee-leaf rust outbreak that began in 2012, and the recovery has involved replacing susceptible varieties with more resilient ones. The diversity of varieties on this lot reflects that ongoing process.

The program

Marathon cupping sessions. Lots sorted by producer, quality, and region. Farmers recognised and paid accordingly. The Quetzal program grew out of the Regional Select work in Guatemala, where identifying distinct regional differences led to producers asking for more consistent buying relationships. The result is a program that gives smallholder farmers the opportunity to place a larger portion of their harvest into the hands of reliable buyers. Price stability, market access, and direct feedback on production quality. For farmers working very small plots of land, that continuity changes things.

Process

Washed, across a stretch of Guatemalan terrain that keeps things interesting. Coffee is picked ripe and depulped the same or the following day, then allowed to ferment for 12 to 48 hours depending on the climate at each producer's location. It is then washed clean of its mucilage and spread on patios or raised beds to dry. The variation in terroir and fermentation conditions across Huehuetenango is part of what gives this lot its range and character.

Brew it your way

Outstanding on filter. Versatile enough to pull as espresso. On filter at 1:16, the dried mango sweetness and buckwheat honey finish come through clearly, with the molasses depth providing a satisfying body underneath. Pull it as espresso at a 1:2 ratio in 28 to 32 seconds for a rich, sweet shot that is easy to drink and easy to dial in.