OUR OFFERINGS - ITZAMNA, GUATEMALA

Region:  Huehuetenango, Acatenango, Palencia
Varietals:  Red bourbon, yellow bourbon, caturra
Altitude:  1500 - 1850 m
Harvest: January - April

Characteristics

Flavor:  Chocolate, red apple, date
Acidity:  Buoyant, well-rounded
Finish:  Walnut, nutmeg, butterscotch

Tasting Notes

Itzamna, the creator-deity whose name can be rendered “god of nectar”, was the harbinger of culture, cacao, and maize to the Mayans in ancient lore. The coffee bearing his alias is true to form: awash with chocolate in a buttery body, brimming with silky red-fruit juices and finishing with hints of praline, spice, and a waft of cedar. Invigorating to the last sip, Itzamna is a tangible representation of coffee fit for divinity.

Geoff Watts' Notes

Coffee drying under the sun at Finca La Soledad in Acatenango.  Parchment must be raked regularly during the day so that it can dry uniformly.

Guatemala has always been a star within the Specialty Coffee community. There is a long tradition of estate coffee farming and quite a bit of technical expertise that helps explain the coffee quality. Many farms have their own wet mills and drying patios and can maintain excellent control over the coffee as it is being processed. It is also a country unique in Central America for its huge indigenous population (over 50% of the people are of Mayan descent) and diverse micro-regions that produce mouthwatering coffees with distinctly different profiles.

We have always had a particular love for these coffees, and over the years Guatemala has remained one of our most treasured origins. Itzamna is our serenade to the country, a blend of our favorite Guatemalan coffees that combines taste characteristics specific to different parts of the country to create an enthralling concert of flavor. The La Soledad (Acatenango) contributes a rich milk chocolate and butterscotch sweetness that is complemented by the energetic ripe fruit acidity of the La Maravilla (HueHue). A coffee from Finca El Tambor (Palencia) brings a seductive cocoa flavor that reminds us of the best coffees from Fraijanes.

All three farms are spectacular (and will be offered individually for limited runs during the fall season). Finca La Maravilla was the first farm to meet the requirements of Direct Trade status, and we’ve had a close relationship for over six years now. This season Mauricio finished constructing new housing for the temporary workers, and we celebrated with a post-harvest party at the farm for all the pickers and their families. At La Soledad they’ve just completed the final stage on their very impressive water treatment system and have started work on a cupping lab that will be built on the farm itself. Victor from El Tambor is a visionary who digs experimentation, and he is working on some trials using different drying and fermentation strategies to further preserve cup quality. Together the coffees from these three distinct and individually successful farms provide us with our ingredients to fashion a complete coffee that combines some of the best traits from different regions in the country.

In previous years, our coffee from Guatemala was called El Cuervo, but based on feedback from the farmers, we have changed the name to “Itzamna.” He is a beloved deity from Mayan mythology, credited with creating many of the things that make life worth living. He gave humankind the gift of writing, brought maize and cacao, and taught medicinal arts. He introduced farming and science and he was always known to be kind and protective towards humans, with no mean streak whatsoever.

In other words, he is the man. We can only suppose that he has a profound love for coffee as well.

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