Overview
Palmira is a regional blend comprised of deliveries from smallholders in Huehuetenango, Guatemala. The region is one of the highest and driest in the country, producing optimal conditions for specialty coffee cultivation. The steep terrain of the canyons gives way to the valley of Tehuantepec, where temperate climatic conditions allow for coffee production above 1,800 m.a.s.l.
Due to the elevation and remoteness, Huehuetenango is one of the regions where labor is hard to come by. Producers are beginning building lodging facilities to house pickers from far away areas.
Flavor Notes
Milk Chocolate, Peach, Red Wine
What distinguishes the Huehuetenango Palmira from others is the cultural practice of collecting the beans not when they are beyond red - almost purple - which produces the subtle wine aftertaste.
Processing Info
Washed
Unlike almost all other coffee-growing regions of Guatemala, in Huehuetenango, almost all producers have their own wet mill for processing and rely on manual depulpers. Fermentation times range between 48-56 hours with cold water and the coffee is then washed with clean water. Finally, it is patio- or screen-dried for approximately 10 days in the sun.
Regional Info
Huehuetenango, Guatemala
Huehuetenango, a department located in Guatemala's western highlands, is the highest region in the country, with coffee-producing elevations ranging from 1,600 to 2,100 m.a.s.l. It is one of the three non-volcanic regions of Guatemala; its clay soils and constant rains make this region a coffee paradise. Huehuetenango shares a border with the Mexican state of Chiapas.
Credits:
Photos and Information Courtesy of ECOM Exportcafe