About This Coffee
Francisco Quezada’s family has owned Finca Vizcaya since the 1980s when his grandfather Francisco Montenegro Girón purchased the farm for its high altitude and ideal microclimate for producing specialty coffees.
Cultivation
At Finca Vizcaya, Francisco focuses on sustainable production that enriches the environment. They keep bees and compost coffee pulp from processing into an organic fertilizer. They also maintain a 35-hectare oak forestland on the farm that provides a habitat for local species.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
Cherry is selectively handpicked by skilled laborers who select only ripe, red cherry. The cherry is then transported to the on-site wet mill and ‘prefermented’ for approximately 24 hours. This deliberate step before processing helps enhance the flavor profile and add depth to the character. After this initial fermentation, cherry is pulped and fermented again for 12 hours. Following fermentation, parchment is washed in clean water and laid on patios to dry. Parchment is raked frequently to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 12 days for parchment to dry.
Coffee in Guatemala
Guatemala boasts a variety of growing regions and conditions that produce spectacular coffees. Today, the country is revered as a producer of some of the most flavorful and nuanced cups worldwide. We are proud to work with several exceptional in-country partners to bring these coffees to market.
The Guatemalan coffee industry experienced a major setback with the 2010 appearance of Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) in Latin America. The epidemic peaked in severity in 2012, and though CLR continues to affect some farms, Guatemala continues to produce high-quality, record-breaking coffees. In 2017, new and varied processing methods pushed prices at the Guatemalan Cup of Excellence contest to record highs.
The quality of coffee being produced in Guatemala is increasing, overall, due to the diversity of the industry’s producers. There are more and more small holder farmers producing exceptional coffee at high altitudes. Cooperatives are becoming more appealing to so many smallholders because they often offer farmers financing and other support for improving their farming and processing and are frequently able to offer higher prices for cherry than middlemen. Many cooperatives have initiated quality improvement training for farmer members and are becoming more adept at helping members market their coffee as specialty.