La Colina

ORIGIN
The production of coffee has been a mainstay of Guatemala’s economy for over a hundred years. More than 125,000 coffee producers help to grow Guatemala’s coffee production. Today, coffee remains one of Guatemala’s principal export products, accounting for 40% of all agricultural export revenue. The country’s coffee growing regions enjoys high altitudes, good rainfall all-year-round in regions that benefit from mineral-rich soils.

There are four main growing regions in Guatemala (Antigua, Huehuetenango, Atiitlan, Nuevo Oriente) which offer up distinctive regional profiles due to the influence of varieties and microclimate. This coffee from Antigua is cultivated on volcanic soils which help to lock in moisture as the region is sunnier and tends to get less rainfall – resulting in coffees that are sweet and smooth with a balanced acidity.
 

PRODUCER
António Medina is a first-generation coffee grower in the town called San Martin Jilotepeque, which is about an 80-minute drive north of Antigua. His farm is situated at 1700 meters, which means his Bourbon and Caturra coffee cherries can mature slowly and develop sweet and complex flavour notes. The relatively cool climate also means that Antonio can conduct a slow 36-hour fermentation for his coffees at his wet mill before drying them on a concrete patio, which usually takes about 12 days.
 

ROAST
Due to the high moisture content and density of this coffee, we have opted for a relatively high energy roast profile at the start which coasts towards a slow development time at the end to accentuate the sweetness and balanced acidity in this coffee – especially for espresso. Rich and creamy in the mouthfeel, we love the sweet cherry fruitiness and cacao notes that remind us of a delicious black forest gateau!