Aracely Perez "The Orchard"

Variety: Caturra, Pache

Origin: Huehuetenango, Guatemala

Elevation: 1,700–1,800 MASL

Tasting Notes: Green Apple, Apricot, Brown Sugar, Chocolate, Tea-Like Finish

Please note: This is whole-bean coffee. To preserve its freshness, we do not sell pre-ground coffee.

High in the mountains of Huehuetenango, Guatemala, Aracely Pérez and her family manage a remarkably small parcel of Finca Quejna — just 0.3 hectares planted with Caturra and Pache. At elevations reaching 1,800 meters above sea level, cool temperatures slow the development of each cherry, allowing the coffee to build dense sweetness and a bright, structured acidity.

Once picked, the cherries are depulped directly on the parcel before being transported to the family’s wet mill, located even higher in the mountains at roughly 2,000 meters. There, the coffee undergoes a slow fermentation lasting between 24 and 32 hours. This carefully observed window breaks down the remaining mucilage while developing clarity, sweetness, and the fruit character that defines the finished cup.

After fermentation, the coffee is thoroughly washed in cement tanks and sun-dried on a patio for four days. The process is simple and traditional, but every stage reflects the precision required to produce an expressive washed coffee at this scale — from selective harvesting to controlled fermentation and careful drying.

In the cup, crisp green apple and ripe apricot lead into layers of brown sugar, maple syrup, and chocolate. A delicate, tea-like finish keeps the profile clean and composed. Sweet, bright, and quietly complex, The Orchard is an intimate expression of one family’s land — and proof that an exceptional coffee doesn’t require a massive estate, only care at every step.