Santa Elisa — Guatemala / Washed Process

Santa Elisa — Guatemala

Origin

Since the beginning of the roastery, we have taken a keen interest in the evolution of Guatemalan coffee in the last few years. The country has always been well known for its clean, sweet flavour profiles, and reliable quality. In the last few years, we have noticed not only an increase in the quality of Guatemalan coffees but an increase in the variety of flavour profiles available, whilst keeping the signature cleanliness and sweetness the country is known for.

Project

Last year we had the chance to visit our exporting partner Los Volcanes Coffee and to set foot in Santa Elisa itself. Santa Elisa suffered a decline in yield and quality during a period in which Guatemalan farmers were abandoning coffee due amidst poor returns on investment thanks to a post-colonial market structure. This all changed in 2015 when Josue Morales intervened in the farm’s operation and brought with him his expertise and a more reliable buying relationship with his own Los Volcanes. The farm, now in the capable hands of Carlos Fontana, has increased its production by 40 times what it was ten years ago, and makes full use of its 350 hectares and the various microclimates that they consist of. Now the farm plays host not only to younger trees growing healthier varieties, but also a tree nursery where variety development and pollination experiments take place. If Guatemalan coffee is seeing a new wave of quality and innovation in its farming, it is thanks to stories like these, stories which clearly explain our commitment to working with Los Volcanes harvest after harvest.

Coffee

This particular coffee is the marsellesa variety, a member of the sarchimor family known for its high yields at low to medium altitudes. It is also known for having a level of acidity we don’t tend to expect from sarchimors, and it was this acidity that made it stand out on the cupping table. We immediately noticed the bright stone fruit acidity, which is balanced with a full-bodied sweetness, notes of plum and blueberry, and the characteristic Guatemalan cleanliness in the cup. A coffee that is at once familiar and novel.