Day 11 | Guatemala Alaska Yellow Bourbon

This small natural lot comes to us from Finca La Esperanza in the mountainous region of Huehuetenango, Guatemala. Located in the western highlands, Huehuetenango is dominated by the Sierra de los Cuchumatanes mountain range. Finca La Esperanza is one of a group of small farms in the region owned and managed by the Villatoro family.

This coffee was grown, selected, and processed by Rodin Ivan Villatoro on his parcel of the farm, known as Alaska. A fitting name since it’s grown at one of the highest elevations. At 2,300 masl (or roughly 7,500 ft) this lot is grown in the coldest and most remote area of the family’s farming operation.

Rodin is an Agronomical Engineer with a focus in hydroponics. As a man of vision and passion, he represents the third generation of an extensive coffee-producing family.

Each year the younger generation of the Villatoro family takes on more ownership of the family lots, planting new varieties, driving education and experimental processing, and cupping in the family lab. Rodin and his brother Jenner are in the process of taking over from their father Aurelio while three of their cousins are also taking over from their parents. Rodin and Jenner already manage the natural and anaerobic processing on the farm.

Rodin and his family combine their experience and knowledge to create specialty coffees called Primos Unidos (United Cousins) Lots. These coffees are the result of tireless cuppings, combining day picks to create sweet and complex profiles. Intentionally curated for flavor, Primos Unidos lots represent the love and passion of these third generation coffee farmers, cuppers, agronomical and forestry engineers, and most importantly cousins, creating amazing coffees together.

This coffee was carefully picked when ripe, sorted, and dried on raised African beds with their fruit in-tact. The cup is fruity with a sweet vanilla spice and notes of key lime pie, plum flesh, and baked apples.