Guatemala Natural Pacamara

Natural processed coffee out of Guatemala is not something you're likely to find very often, so when this one came on the market, I had to  grab it. Farmer Elmer Lopez bought the coffee farm in Huehuetenango in 2013 and named it "Los Pinos" meaning "The Pines" because the towering pine trees all around the farm.  

This particular lot was an experiment of just a couple bags. It's the Pacamara varietal and fully sundried natural, turning it into a coffee that doesn't taste like a Guatemala. I taste a lot of cascara (the coffee fruit) in the coffee, and if you haven't tasted that, you find a taste that reminds you of plum, hibiscus, cherry. There's some lavender here, and a buttery mouth feel. It's also excellent espresso, with a citrus note, lots of crema, milk chocolate, berry tartness on the edges of the tongue. You generally want to roast this bean light, like you would most Natural coffees, but the body holds up even in light roasts. You also will notice some vanilla, and some fruit notes. If you get it a little too dark, you start noticing a campfire smoky flavor that distracts from the sweet fruit. 

As coffee, it's really good but you have to frame your mind correctly. It's not an Ethiopia. It's not a typical Guatemala. It's not a typical natural process bean. It's in its own category.

US arrival November 2024