Atitlán - Gesha - Guatemala

Region: San Juan la Laguna, Lake Atitlán, Guatemala Tasting Notes: honeysuckle, honey dew, silver needle white tea, granny smith apple finish

Tasting Notes: pink lady apple, raspberry, Rainier cherry, sugar cane juice Producers: AproCafé Atitlán Growers Association *Association-owned experimental plot in San Juan la Laguna Varieties: Gesha Process: Washed (36 hours in cherry, 24 hours depulped fermentation)/ Natural Altitude: 1,600- 1,700 MASL

 

Recommended Brewing Parameters:

Espresso: 1:2.0 - 1:2.1 (17.5-18g in, 35-38g out, 25-28 seconds)

Filter: 1:14.2 

ground at about 900 microns

196˚F water 

 

We’re excited to have four different coffees from the talented producers of AproCafé Association from Atitlán this year: a washed community lot, a natural microlot, a single-producer microlot, and this beautiful Gesha, available in both washed and natural expressions. Each offers a different window into the creativity, diversity, and care within this remarkable association.

Along the southern shores of Lake Atitlán, where mist drifts between volcanic peaks, the farmers of AproCafé Atitlán (Asociación de Productores de Café de Atitlán) cultivate coffee with deep respect for their land and community. The association is made up of 54 smallholder producers who farm across a wide range of elevations, from 1,560 meters along the lakeshore to more than 2,200 meters in the surrounding highlands. That diversity, combined with the producers' willingness to experiment with varieties and processing, creates an impressive spectrum of coffees.

Most of AproCafé’s coffee comes from individual family plots, but the group also tends a few collectively owned parcels where new varieties and techniques can be explored. A few years ago, they planted a tiny plot of Gesha just outside San Juan la Laguna. Production from that original plot remains incredibly limited—just one to two bags per harvest—but several members have since planted Gesha at higher elevations, with those trees beginning to produce cherries in the 2025–2026 harvest.

This Gesha is a beautiful example of that spirit of experimentation. Floral, vibrant, and expressive, it offers a glimpse into what these producers are exploring as they invest in new varieties and continue refining their craft. We’re excited to share both the washed and natural expressions with you and to support the curiosity and care that make coffees like this possible.

We’re grateful to continue building our relationship with AproCafé Atitlán and to share not just one coffee, but a collection that reflects the breadth of this community and the many ways they are shaping the future of coffee at Lake Atitlán.

*If you would like this coffee ground, please specify brew method in comments.

This offering from Little Waves Coffee Roasters highlights a unique Gesha lot cultivated by the AproCafé Atitlán Growers Association in San Juan la Laguna, Lake Atitlán. Grown at 1600-1700 masl, this coffee showcases the Gesha varietal, which is widely prized in the specialty industry for its distinct floral aromatics and tea-like clarity. The producers have utilized both washed and natural processing methods to develop the cup profile, which features a complex array of stone fruit, crisp apple, and delicate floral notes.

The Guatemala · San Juan la Laguna, Lake Atitlán region provides a dramatic volcanic landscape that influences the development of these cherries. When evaluating the nuanced acidity and sweetness present in this lot, tasters may find it helpful to reference the flavor wheel to identify the specific interplay between the honeysuckle, raspberry, and sugar cane juice characteristics. This selection represents a sophisticated approach to regional processing and varietal expression.