$12 each

Lemon Laffy Taffy, Peach, Complex, Fig Cookie

Location: Huehuetenango

Varietal: Bourbon, Caturra

Process: Washed

Elevation: 1800 masl

We loved this coffee more than most we had on the table. It is exciting, yet approachable with taffy like sweetness and very typical flavor characteristics from this country. Lemon acidity, Grahm cracker, cookies, chocolate, figs. This coffee performs exceptionally well as a single origin espresso when paired with milk. Below is a bit about Arturo, and his farm La Cruz.

The La Cruz farm grows Bourbon and Caturra varieties, and he fertilizes with NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) and organic compost made with coffee pulp. The farm's harvest occurd between December and May. Arturo has fermentation and drying facilities on his farm where he first ferments the cherries in nylon bags under shade in a cool place for 24-36 hours depending on the weather, then separates them by density using the flotation, pulps them, and puts through a second fermentation for 24 hours in cement tanks. After that, the coffee is dried in parchment for 12 days (depending on the climate) on patios.

Arturo knows that caring for the environment is essential for the future of coffee, which is why he has installed sedimentation pits and natural filters on his farm to clean the residual water from coffee processing.

He and his 3 children work on the La Cruz farm, and during the harvest season they hire external labor. This labor is increasingly scarce due to the strong migration of the population to other countries in search of better job opportunities.

Arturo is part of the indigenous Guatemalan Mam ethnic group and speaks the Mam language in addition to Spanish. He’s a coffee expert, often able to tell just by looking at a plant how much it will produce. He’s also a critical leader in his community. He tells us he views coffee as more than a commodity—for him, it’s a culture. He’ll take as long as he needs during harvest to maximize quality.