GUATEMALA MONTE DE ORO

Flavor Notes: Grape Jam, Peach, Mango, Clove

Finca Monte de Oro, “Mountain of Gold” in Guatemala, owned by the Melendez family, has stood for excellence and quality for over 5 generations. They have been the catalyst for building the reputation of the Acatenango Valley, where their farm is located, as a specialty coffee growing area as well as strong advocates for direct trade practices. 

The unique microclimate found in this region of Guatemala as well as the constant eruptions from the nearby Fuego volcano bring together the perfect conditions to create coffees with depth as well as distinct fruit forward characteristics. In addition, the close proximity to the Pacific ocean brings in temperate gusts and marked seasons, unusual for Guatemala, enabling the Melendez family to sun dry their coffee cherries—baking in even more of that sweetness. 

Our green buyer, Ben (pictured above, left) has been able to visit Mario Ricardo Alarcón Melendez (pictured above, right) at his beautiful farm in the Acatenango Valley to learn more about his coffee as well as some of his exciting, upcoming projects. Mario is also the co-founder of Truth Trading Company along with Christian Starry, an independent coffee exporting company that has enabled them to direct trade with roasters such as ourselves, as well as open that opportunity up to neighboring farms.

Coffee Information

Country: Guatemala Region: Acatenango Varietals: Caturra Altitude: 1,530 - 1,690 meters Processing: Natural Net Weight: 340g / 12oz

The Guatemala Monte de Oro, sourced from the Acatenango region by the Melendez family, represents a distinct expression of the Caturra varietal. Cultivated at elevations between 1530 and 1690 masl, this lot undergoes a natural process, a technique often associated with increased sweetness and complex body in the cup. As detailed in our processing methods explainer, the natural method allows the coffee cherry to dry around the bean, which can contribute to the vibrant, fruit-forward profile noted by Joe Bean Coffee Roasters.

In this specific offering, the roaster identifies notes of grape jam, peach, mango, and clove. These descriptors can be mapped against the flavor wheel to better understand the interplay between stone fruit acidity and spice. For those interested in the broader terroir of the country, further information on the Guatemala · Acatenango region provides essential context for how high-altitude volcanic soils influence the final cup profile.