Famous Guatemalan Coffee Estates and the Gentle, Water-like Characteristics of Guatemalan Coffee Beans

Introduction to Guatemalan Coffee

Antigua is a renowned coffee-producing region today. Its rich volcanic soil, low humidity, intense sunlight and cool evening breezes give the area its character. Three spectacular active volcanoes—Agua, Acatenango and Fuego—shape a beautiful valley landscape. The active Fuego volcano occasionally dusts the area with a mysterious layer of ash. Roughly every 30 years, the land around Antigua suffers a volcanic eruption, which adds yet more nitrogen to the already fertile soil. The abundant rainfall and sunshine make the area even better suited to growing coffee.

The coffee of Antigua is produced at Hacienda Carmona, where the finest lot is ELPulcal. It is not only of excellent quality but also remarkably complete when compared with other Latin American coffees, with rich layers and stunning complexity. Enjoyed alongside chocolate, it reveals unexpected delights. Most importantly, it has a very intense flavor, a richer mouthfeel and a captivating tobacco note that has earned it the reputation of "the perfect coffee bean."

Another noteworthy traditional Guatemalan estate is El Injerto, in the Huehuetenango region to the northwest. The estate's unusual name comes from its founder, Jesus Aguirre Panama, who worried that growing from seed might produce variants that changed the original variety's character. He therefore used grafting to cultivate pure Bourbon and protect the coffee's quality. Yet while the estate was once proud of that pure Bourbon, today's El Injerto prizes the Pacamara hybrid.

The Pacamara grown at El Injerto comes from high altitudes above 1,600 meters and has become as famous as the Geisha from Panama's La Esmeralda estate. With rich, varied flavors and a smooth, rounded mouthfeel, Pacamara won Guatemala's "Cup of Excellence" competition three years running, from 2008 to 2010. In 2008, El Injerto's champion Pacamara caused a sensation in the coffee world by fetching an auction price of $80.20 per pound.

Some of Guatemala's highest-quality coffees are currently exported to Japan. To revitalize its coffee industry, Guatemala has established a dedicated Specialty Coffee Association that gives these quality coffees maximum support and attention. Those efforts will soon bear fruit, and the true beneficiaries will be not only the growers but coffee lovers worldwide.

Even though this emerald valley is ringed on every side by active volcanoes—volcanoes that are always threatening and always dangerous—the vast, fertile soil still tempts local growers to cultivate premium coffee with great care. In turn, they prefer to be known to the world as the Mayan descendants who grow coffee.

Knowledge Point: Guatemala has more than 300 microclimates within its territory, considered the highest number in the world.

FrontStreet Coffee's Mission

Briefly: FrontStreet Coffee is a center dedicated to coffee research, delighted to share coffee knowledge with everyone. We share without reservation only to help more friends fall in love with coffee. Every month we hold three low-price coffee events, because FrontStreet Coffee wants more people to enjoy the best coffee at the lowest possible price—this has been FrontStreet Coffee's principle for the past six years.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

This article touches on the Geisha comparison that has defined modern specialty coffee, and FrontStreet's Geisha lineup is the natural place to explore it. The FrontStreet Emerald Green Label Geisha blends lots from several plots to express Hacienda La Esmeralda's signature high-altitude Geisha character at an approachable price, while the FrontStreet Emerald Red Label Geisha offers single-plot batches cupped at 90 points and above.

For a first taste of the famous "Geisha flavor," the FrontStreet Boquete Geisha is an entry-level Panama Geisha with the classic citrus-and-honey sweetness, oolong-tea sensation and fine fruit acidity. Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee, has its own celebrated Geisha estates too: the FrontStreet Geisha Village Gold Label (the Geisha 1931 variety, about 10% of the village's output) and the FrontStreet Geisha Village Red Label (the Gori Gesha variety, about 15%) are refined single-origin options, and the FrontStreet Grana Gesha, suited to a light-medium roast, brings bright citrus acidity, ginger-lily blossom and ripe-fruit sweetness. For a more accessible Geisha-style cup, the FrontStreet Strawberry Candy marries a Costa Rican honey-process coffee with Panama Geisha for floral, sweet fruit notes.