How is Guatemalan Coffee? Introduction to the Flavor Profiles of Guatemalan Coffee Growing Regions

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FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Guatemala's New Oriente Region

Guatemala is located in Central America, blessed with a unique geographical environment, connecting North America to the north and South America to the south. Facing the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, the climate is relatively hot and humid, making it one of the world's important coffee-producing regions.

Guatemala is situated in the tropics with numerous volcanoes throughout the country. The northern and eastern coastal plains have a tropical rainforest climate, while the southern mountains have a subtropical climate. The year is divided into wet and dry seasons, with May to October being the wet season and November to April of the following year being the dry season. Annual rainfall in the northeast ranges from 2,000 to 3,000 millimeters, while the south receives 500 to 1,000 millimeters. Forests cover half of the country, making it an ideal latitude for coffee production. Since coffee is an important economic crop locally, it has given rise to a rich coffee culture where people drink coffee daily, and most people have a cup of coffee with their lunch.

Guatemala has a high average altitude, with coffee growing zones distributed above 1,500 meters and between 14 and 16 degrees north latitude, making it ideal for producing extremely hard beans. All are wet-processed, with 45% classified as specialty grade—a remarkably high proportion—and there are also small amounts of Robusta.

New Oriente Region

New Oriente is the youngest coffee-producing region in Guatemala. This area receives abundant rainfall and is perennially shaded by clouds, giving it a climate similar to the Cobán rainforest region. In ancient times, it was a volcanic area, and the soil here consists of metamorphic rocks rich in minerals. Before coffee cultivation began, New Oriente was one of Guatemala's poorest regions. Since the 1950s, farmers in the mountains have relied on this naturally nutritious land to start coffee cultivation, gradually bringing vitality to the area. Now it has become a rising star in Guatemala's coffee industry.

Altitude: 1,300-1,700 meters

Harvest Period: December to March

Coffee Varieties

Guatemala's coffee varieties are mainly Bourbon, Typica, Catuai, and Caturra, with small amounts of Yellow Bourbon, Geisha, and Pacamara. The newly cultivated Maracaturra variety adds diversity, but it's precious to maintain ancient Typica and Bourbon varieties. Pacamara is a hybrid discovered in El Salvador in 1950, a cross between Pacas and Maragogype.

FrontStreet Coffee offers a Pacamara variety from the Little Blueberry Farm in the New Oriente region.

Guatemala Little Blueberry Farm Pache

Country: Guatemala

Region: New Oriente

Altitude: 1,550-1,800 meters

Processing Method: Natural processing

Grade: SHB (Strictly Hard Bean)

Variety: PACHE

Flavor Profile: Light fermentation aroma, with notes of dark berries, nuts, dark chocolate, brown sugar, licorice, and raisins. The flavor layers are rich, with a balanced sweetness and acidity.

Important Notice :

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