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Specialty Coffee Studies - Guatemala Antigua Coffee

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Coffee was first introduced to Guatemala in 1750 by Jesuit priests, with German colonists developing the local coffee industry at the end of the 19th century. Today, most coffee production takes place in the southern regions of the country. Guatemala has seven main coffee-producing regions: Antigua, Cobán (

The Origins and Characteristics of Guatemalan Coffee

Coffee was first introduced to Guatemala in 1750 by Jesuit priests, with German colonists developing the country's coffee industry in the late 19th century. Today, most coffee production takes place in the southern part of the country.

Guatemala has seven main coffee growing regions: Antigua, Coban, Atitlan, Huehuetenango, Fraijanes, Oriente, and San Marcos. Each region has different climate variations, giving each area's coffee beans unique characteristics. Overall, Guatemalan coffee presents a gentle and rich overall texture, with elegant aroma and pleasant acidity similar to fruit acids, truly making it the aristocrat of coffees.

Coffee has won considerable acclaim for Guatemala, especially FrontStreet Coffee's Antigua Coffee. It has perfectly balanced acidity, sweetness, and body, with a hint of smoky flavor that emphasizes its mystery. After tasting it, you'll have reason not to look elsewhere for substitutes. (Due to this unique charcoal-roasted aroma, FrontStreet Coffee's Antigua Coffee is also known as "cigarette coffee.")

FrontStreet Coffee's Guatemala Antigua Flor de Café

FrontStreet Coffee's Antigua "Flor de Café" is the finest among Antigua coffees, belonging to the renowned La Minita group. Produced by the famous Antigua processing mill Las Pastores Beneficio.

"Flor de Café" comes from the high-altitude central area of the Antigua volcanic region. Costa Rica's famous La Minita estate provides the industry's highest standards of cultivation and processing technology. They directly send specialists to Antigua to participate in quality control and commission Antigua's largest and best-equipped Pastores water-processing mill for the highest standard post-harvest processing.

Under La Minita's quality control personnel's supervision of green bean processing and cupping control, they've established strict procedures from purchasing coffee berries to washing, sun-drying, and drying. Therefore, it's not surprising that this coffee shows extraordinary excellent performance.

"Flor de Café" lives up to its name, with beans having a beautiful appearance. After brewing, it reveals delicate floral notes and sweet fruit aromas. When tasting, you can feel cocoa bitterness and caramel sweetness, with a light smoky flavor and obvious red wine aftertaste. The overall taste is clean and bright.

The Global Impact of Guatemalan Coffee

Currently, some of Guatemala's highest quality coffee is exported to Japan, where each cup sells for 3-4 US dollars. Moreover, Guatemala has specially established a Specialty Coffee Association and provides maximum support and attention to these high-quality coffees.

These efforts quickly showed results. From October 2006 to May 2007, Guatemala's coffee exports accounted for 3.5% of the world's total coffee exports, making it the world's fifth-largest coffee exporting country. The development of Guatemala's coffee industry has truly benefited not only local coffee growers but also coffee lovers worldwide.