Las Codornices Natural Gesha

We all know that Huehuetenango is the most famous of Guatemala’s coffee region. But did you know that there is a part of Huehuetenango that’s so dry and harsh that nobody grows coffee there? Actually, somebody does. Please meet Diana and Hector Ovalle who made great out of the impossible! And Alexander from Standout Coffee is offering us this interesting journey this time.

In April we have natural processed Gesha from Las Codornices. It is one out of three Ovalle’s farms and their command centre. A trip to the farm is not like your typical coffee excursion. You won’t pass any coffee trees, infrastructure, beneficios or pickers from other farms waving to you and smiling. The area is so dry that nobody else ever thought about establishing coffee production over there.

Farm: Las Codornices
Farmer: Diana & Hector Ovalle
Location: Huehuetenango, Guatemala
Altitude:   1900 masl.
Varietal:  Geisha
Process:  Natural

Since water in this part of the region is a huge issue, they very rarely process coffee as washed, focusing on getting expertise in honeys and naturals. And the results are fantastic year by year while we work with the Ovalles. The fruity character and deep articulation of their coffees amaze us every time by the cupping table. We’re proud to perform a detailed quality control during and after Las Codornices’ harvest.

Diana and Hector are an example of a new approach to coffee production. Their farms and management style are focused on maximum efficiency and sustainability. We’re super happy to work with the Ovalles extremely close, being able to help them create a model that not only rewards the highest quality, but also helps them stay on top of the current trends and demands of the consuming side of the coffee market.

Diana’s and Hector’s focus is their community. They try to find ways to support people who depend on coffee production, like, for example, purchasing 150 sheep that not only help to keep their farm weed free but also provide meat for their workers. Apart from sheep they use in all their farms, they also plant trees that produce edible seeds rich in protein and fruits full of vitamins that are also available for their local community.

From their house you can grasp a beautiful view of a mountain range, some coffee trees and two retention tanks Diana and Hector have built to harvest precious rainwater to use it for irrigation. Each row of coffee trees within a 9-hectares area is ready to be irrigated at any time. Damn impressive!

Expect notes of: Rose hip florals, notes of raspberry, clementine, lychee with amazing structure and sparkling finish

Let us know what you think of this month’s Rare coffee on social media by tagging us #slurprare @slurpkahvi