Guatemala Huehuetenango MAM
Guatemala Huehuetenango is back! This latest varietal starts off with a nose full of smoky black cherry and sassafras. In the cup it gets big. Really big. The creamy, chewy body contains notes of rich molasses. The full finish lingers with spice and a hint of tamarind.
Aroma: Smokey, Black Cherry, Sassafrass
Body: Full, Chewy
Cup: Rich Molasses, Corriander
Finish: Spicy with hints of tamarind
About this Coffee
GROWER: Smallholder coffee producers
REGION: San Pedro Necta, Santiago Chimaltenango, Todos Santos Cuchumatan, Union Cantinil, La Libertad, and La Democracia, Huehuetenango, Guatemala
ALTITUDE: 1,524-1,830 meters
PROCESS: Fully washed and dried in the sun
VARIETY: Bourbon, Typica, Caturra, and Catuai
HARVEST: October - February
SOIL: Clay minerals
There are plenty of obstacles to cultivating and exporting coffee from the department of Huehuetenango. The terrain is rugged, and the weather is extreme. But coffee grows well here, and indigenous families with farms that average just a few acres in size have partnered with an export company called UNEX to overcome the obstacles. Each family uses their own micro-mill to process their harvest, which allows for meticulous care in cherry selection, depulping, fermenting, and drying the coffee. UNEX has a centralized warehouse to store dried parchment until it is time to move the coffee across the country along rough roads to Guatemala City where the coffee is prepared for export. Through UNEX, producers have gained access to technical assistance for managing their farms with the best organic practices. Using materials like coffee pulp to make organic fertilizers has helped reduce the transportation costs associated with purchasing fertilizer from afar, and at the same time, creates an abundant source of fertilizer that ensures better yields and quality. UNEX has also established funds for mobile clinics that can provide healthcare in the most remote indigenous communities.