Notes from our Green Buyer

Aurelio Villatoro produces some of our favorite coffees, and he does this every year. The first time we purchased coffee from him was in 2009. We were trying to begin a Direct Trade program, and we had the opportunity to bring in coffee from Finca Villaure. We bought 20 bags (which was about double our entire production to that point in time) but we were growing quickly and saw the opportunity to begin working with people rather than commodity markets, and we were excited to jump in. His coffee was amazing then and it still is. This coffee, Finca La Esperanza, is from his other farm situated in Huehuetenango. If you like Huehue’s, this coffee will make you sing (but you may want to put down your cup first)!

Notes from our Roaster

Coffees from Huehuetenango, or “Hue-hue’s” as we like to call them, already offer a noticeable sweetness when compared to coffees from Antigua, the other growing region in Guatemala. When side by side, it’s easy to recognize which one’s which. So, when you take a coffee that’s inherently sweeter and allow it to ferment, you intensify that sweetness. This is exactly what Aurelio attempted here; His naturally-processed coffee develops the entire flavor profile around its central fruitiness. Straight away, you’ll notice its juiciness, creating an unmistakable blueberry note when brewed.