High up in Huehuetenango, 2,000 meters above the ocean, lies a sheltered microclimate where Guatemala’s top coffee grows. A geographical quirk allows the hot, dry air from the Plains of Tehuantepic to mix with the fresh breezes of the Cuhumatanes Mountains, creating a protective bubble. Despite the nosebleed inducing altitude, the microclimate here protects coffee blossoms from the ravages of frost and allows for coffee to be grown at some of the highest altitudes in the world.

Master coffee roasters recognize that coffee berries that mature at high altitudes produce harder beans and a unique flavour profile that varies depending on the location. Within the industry, any coffee grown above 1,350 meters is given the nomenclature of SHB (Strictly Hard Bean) to indicate this character. The beans of Huehuetenango easily clear this bar.

To preserve the natural flavour of SHB coffee, the fruit of Huehuetenango are stripped of their pulp and washed quickly in the cold mountain waters to prevent fermentation. The beans are then dried in the arid sun. The result is a coffee with clear flavours of chocolate, caramel and a clean, fruity acidity in lighter roasts.