This is our second season with Finca La Colina. San Martin is North of Chimeltenango (and Antigua for that matter). We have bought meaningful amounts of amazing coffee from Guatemala over the years and this season we wanted to change things a bit. La Colina was a highlight for us because of the sweetness and ripeness, rather than our (Peter’s) historical pursuit of high altitude, linear acidity, that is a thing of beauty in the right place. This is by no means selling of the soul and the delivery of a one-dimensional coffee, more cuddly sweetness with vine sugars.
Farm: La Colina
Region: Chimaltenango
Town: San Martin Jilotepeque
Owner: Tony Medina
Varietal: Caturra and Bourbon
Processing: Fully washed and sun dried on patios.
Size of Finca: 179 Hectares
Coffee produced:4000 kg (avg. Year)
Elevation: 1,700 meters above sea level.
Temperature:16 – 23ºC
Shade Trees: Inga
Roast level: Light Filter (and Espresso very soon…)
Cup Potential: This season Colina is reassuring, as far as coffees go. Salted caramel, malty aromatics. In the cup, we found the dried fruits of a fruit cake, soft, sweet, malty, cocoa, and a creamy body.
La Colina is some 1700 Meters above sea level, and the name aptly translates into “The Hill Farm”. Tony inherited the land from his father, which was a bigger farm split between siblings, as often happens in farming families. He then named the farm La Colina.
In the beginning, Tony grew beans and corn, whilst learning about growing coffee from others. Coffee was the dream and in 1991 he slowly started planting a few coffee plants and the rest is history. Currently, Tony is planning on diversifying into new varietals and also improving drying by using raised (or African) beds.
We are lucky enough to be able to buy half of this crop, which should be with us for a few months as a single. We just hope you like it as much as we do.
