TASTE NOTES

Coffee taste notes for San Carlos, Guatemala: butterscotch, nougat, graham, peach, cocoa, cookie

SAN CARLOS BACKGROUND

Specialty coffee is a product of collaboration: between producers and mills, importers and exporters, cafés and baristas. This is why we are passionate about relationships and celebrating all those who contribute to our craft. Our seventh consecutive harvest from San Carlos, Guatemala celebrates a long, and mutually beneficial, partnership.

For more than 50 years, Jorge Alberto Zamora has managed three historic farms in Antigua, Guatemala, including Finca San Carlos. The same Bourbon-varietal coffee trees planted on these estates 80 to 100 years ago still produce fruit for today’s harvest. Their age and longevity exemplify how well Jorge manages the farms. The locals renown San Carlos for its lucrative harvest season, which can be up to three months longer than other farms in the region. After harvest, Los Volcanes processes the coffee cherries from San Carlos.

The cupping lab on the mill evaluates each lot and provides feedback to farmers like Jorge, continually improving quality and consistency. The mill then exports the coffee for the farms, giving them access to the specialty market and helping them get higher premiums. Meanwhile roasters and importers are connecting to consistent, quality coffee farms. This is a great example of mutually beneficial partnerships, and Blueprint is proud to support this effort through our green coffee purchases.