Guatemala Finca Chigua | Caturra & Catimor | Atitlan Lake Volcanic Region

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FrontStreet Coffee Guatemala Coffee | Bolsa Pacamara | Geisha 2018 - Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Red Label Natural | Blue Label Washed | Green Label Natural

Farm Information

Farm: Chicua Estate

Region: Lake Atitlán

Altitude: 1400-1600m

Soil: Volcanic soil

Rainfall: 800-1200mm

Shade Trees: Gravilia & Inga

Processing: Washed process

Varieties: Caturra, Catimor

Screen Size: 15 to 18 - 94.3%

Moisture Content: 10.1%

Flavor: Cocoa, sweet orange, roasted nuts, excellent sweetness, long aftertaste

Farm Introduction

Chicua is a young estate on the mountainside of a volcano, looking out over the magnificent Lake Atitlán. This hilltop paradise was formed over hundreds of years by lava flows from two nearby volcanoes, Atitlán and San Pedro. The name "Chicua" comes from the K'iche' Maya language and means "place where there is water," a phrase that captures the heart and soul of the estate.

The coffee trees at Chicua are planted between 1400 and 1600 meters, in genuinely high-altitude country. Some early mornings the leaves are coated in frost, which gradually melts under the sweet morning sun. As the light strengthens, shade trees that have grown locally for hundreds of years shield the coffee trees. These shade trees are ecologically vital to the volcanic mountainside ecosystem. Walking through this pleasant green orchard sometimes brings unexpected surprises - like being hit by a falling fresh avocado.

The new coffee project at Chicua Estate is managed by third- and fourth-generation coffee growers, and their deep love for coffee shows in the estates they run. Through ongoing collaboration with respected local Maya agronomists, Chicua's coffee ranks among Guatemala's finest.

To combat Rosellinia, a root disease fungus, Chicua Estate works with Guatemala's Del Valle University and ANACAFE (the Guatemalan Coffee Association) to research ways to fight the disease without harming the ecosystem.

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse bean varieties, where you can find both famous and lesser-known beans, while also providing online store services. https://shop104210103.taobao.com

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Guatemala's cocoa-and-orange profile with roasted-nut sweetness shares plenty of ground with a great Geisha's clarity and layered fruit, so FrontStreet Coffee often suggests crossing over. The Panama Boquete Geisha is the entry point: it brings the classic Panama Geisha combination of orange-blossom aroma and honeyed sweetness, an oolong-tea sensation, and a fine, distinct fruit sweet-acidity. If you have been enjoying the balance of a Lake Atitlán washed coffee, this is a natural next step.

For the highest tier of the variety, FrontStreet Coffee's Esmeralda Red Label - officially "Esmeralda Special" - is grown at 1,600-1,800 meters, with every lot cupping above 90 points and each one sourced from a single small plot, so buyers can pick a batch that matches their preferred nuances. The Esmeralda Green Label, originally "Private Collection," blends several plots and expresses the estate's signature high-altitude Geisha profile; its lower price makes it excellent value.