Guatemala | Huehuetenango | Finca El Injertal Mixed Variety Washed

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FrontStreet Coffee Single Origin Recommendation | Guatemala Coffee | Finca El Injertal, Mixed Varieties, Washed

Product Name: Cupping Score 90 - Guatemala Huehuetenango Finca El Injertal - Washed

(Guatemala Huehuetenango Finca El Injertal)

Flavor Description: Temperate fruit notes, stone-fruit cream, peanut, toasted bread.

Mild, restrained acidity, with fruit and floral flavors in the mouthfeel and a sweet, persistent aftertaste.

This batch comes from Guatemala's Huehuetenango region — Finca El Injertal.

Be careful not to confuse it with another very famous estate, El Injerto. The names are nearly identical — do not mistake the two, because the price difference is huge.

Cupping Score: 90 points

Submitted by: Lexington Coffee Roasters

Cupping Name: Guatemala SHB El Injertal Estate

Location: Lexington, Virginia

Origin: Huehuetenango growing region, Guatemala.

Roast: Medium-Light

Review Date: May 2011

Agtron: 53/69

Aroma: 8

Acidity: 8

Body: 8

Flavor: 8

Aftertaste: 8

Country: Guatemala

Region: Huehuetenango, La Libertad

Estate: Finca El Injertal

Varieties: Caturra, Bourbon, Mondo Novo

Altitude: 1,200 to 1,650 meters

Grade: European Standard Washed Strictly Hard Bean (SHB)

Processing Method: Traditional washed processing

Harvest Period: December to March of the following year

Certification: Rainforest Alliance Certification (RFA)

Introduction

Finca El Injertal lies near the small town of La Democracia in the Huehuetenango growing region of northwestern Guatemala. It was founded in the 1930s by the first-generation owner, Jose Olivio Chavez.

The estate is renowned for producing high-quality coffee and ranks among the most famous in Guatemala's coffee industry. It is now managed by the third generation — his grandson, Jose Alejandro.

From the very first generation, the family has been distinctive in its commitment to sustainable, environmentally friendly operation. The estate covers 83 hectares in total, with 70 hectares planted in coffee at 1,200 to 1,650 meters, growing Caturra, Bourbon, and Mondo Novo; the remaining 13 hectares are preserved as primary forest to support a diverse bird ecology and habitat.

The estate has multiple natural hot springs that can supply energy for its water treatment plant. It also grows shade trees that shelter the coffee, prevent soil erosion, and raise the soil's organic matter content. Finca El Injertal holds Rainforest Alliance certification.

What makes this batch special is the sandy volcanic limestone soil in which the coffee grows. High altitude, fertile soil, a rich ecosystem, clean water, and devoted human stewardship together create the estate's famous, distinctive style — a genuine representative of excellent Huehuetenango coffee. Its flavor and quality stand out within the region, and production controls spanning harvesting, washing, hulling, grading, and cupping have earned it recognition locally as the highest-quality, most prestigious estate coffee.

Coffees from Huehuetenango always carry a subtle mineral-like aroma, and the region's altitude is remarkable — coffee farms here can be cultivated on high plateaus up to 2,000 meters.

Guatemala sits on the Central American isthmus, its many mountains and plateaus formed by volcanoes, producing high-quality Central American high-altitude strictly hard beans. It is the world's 9th largest coffee-producing country, with seven major regions: Antigua, Huehuetenango, Atitlan, Coban, Fraijanes, San Marcos, and Acatenango.

The most distinctive is undoubtedly the northernmost region, Huehuetenango. What sets it apart is its sandy limestone soil, whereas volcanic soil dominates the rest of Guatemala. Perhaps for that reason, Huehuetenango coffee shows fruity acidity, nutty aromas, and clearly layered variation.

Huehuetenango runs along the Sierra de los Cuchumatanes range, home to Central America's highest peak at 4,000 meters. It is one of the finest specialty coffee regions in Central and South America, thanks to its unique geography: fertile soil, abundant rainfall, continuous high-altitude mountains (1,200-1,800 meters), steep slopes, and special valley terrain. Each block has its own natural resources and microclimate, which is why coffees from different estates are so vastly different and diverse.

FrontStreet Coffee: a roastery in Guangzhou with a small storefront but a diverse bean list — famous names and hidden gems alike. Online shop services are available at https://shop104210103.taobao.com

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation: More Washed Classics to Explore

Washed processing is the traditional water-driven method — floating, depulping, fermenting, and rinsing away the mucilage before drying — and it preserves the bean's own aromas while adding bright, clean acidity. If you love what it does for this Guatemalan lot, explore three more washed classics. The FrontStreet Coffee Yirgacheffe Guodingding Cooperative, processed by an experienced village cooperative team, shows jasmine florals and bright citrus acidity that deepen into green tea and honey after a medium-light roast. The Kenya Little Tomato showcases Kenya's double-washed mastery with cherry tomato, dark plum, pear, and yellow sugar in a juicy, sweet-tart cup. And the Jamaica Blue Mountain No.1, washed to protect its aroma on a sun-short island, brews into pure hazelnut, cream, chocolate, and caramel with perfect balance.