Guatemala - Antigua - Single Origin Green Beans

"Antigua, Guatemala, is considered by many coffee experts as the world's best coffee growing region: these beans are grown in the perfect climate, dominated by light rains from the Pacific, on the exceptionally mineral-rich soild slopes of the Acatenango and still-active Fuego volcanos (picture above). This is a coffee terroir that imparts a unique taste to the coffee. 

In the dry fragrance, the balance of scents is very nice: ginger, green grape, caramel popcorn, cinnamon bark, and milk chocolate, all in proportion. Adding the hot water, the wet aroma is right in line with the dry fragrance, balanced, brown sugar, sweet, with lots of cinnamon.

The cup has great character:

The chocolate in the darker roast aroma suggest the cup will be more aggressively bittersweet, but I am surprised how silky and elegant the overall impression of the cup flavor are at lighter levels.

The flavor profile starts strong and opens even more up as the cup cools.

Cupping Score: 87.4

The unique characteristics of the Antigua coffees derive from the high pumice content of the soil; which comes from the eruptions of three big volcanos. Most trees are planted in the ashes of the major 1932 eruption of the Fuego volcano. Besides the fresh richness of the soil, the pumice helps maintain the relative humidity of the area at a relatively dry and steady level af about 65 percent all year round. The resulting ""strictly hard bean"" coffee seeds have a world-famous taste density.

Available in Roasted and Green Beans."