Pura Fruta - Guatemala Specialty Coffee

TASTING NOTES: Raspberry, lime, dried apricot, punchy, sweet finish

The aptly named Pura Fruta is a coffee lot from Finca El Platanillo in San Marcos, Guatemala.

Stuardo Coto has run the farm since taking over from his father in 1985. In that time he has received a prestigious Cup of Excellence award, built a free school for his community's children and started an advanced degree program for coffee professionals. Stuardo has nurtured a varietal garden containing 150 unique coffee varieties. His son Samuel has led a quality control team which relates data such as coffee cherry sugar content, timing of harvest, variety and fermentation time to tasting attributes. His research has allowed El Platanillo to maximize positive taste attributes while minimizing inputs. This family farm balances high quality coffee production with preservation and nurturing of the local ecosystem. Visiting Finca El Platanillo feels like walking into a peaceful forest.

Pura Fruta is a blend of over 40 lots of coffee. Each lot is one day’s picking of one variety of coffee. These coffee cherries are dried on raised beds for 30-45 days in the natural method. After drying, lots with the most vivid fruit notes were selected and blended. The combination of Bourbon, Red Icatu and Yellow Icatu varieties yields an intense and balanced profile. This coffee is intense, bright and punchy with notes of raspberry, lime and dried apricot.

Origin: San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta, San Marcos Producer: Stuardo Coto Variety: Bourbon, Red Icatu, Yellow Icatu Processing: Natural Elevation: 1,100 - 1,450 M.A.S.L. Latitude:14.93° N Roast level: Medium light

The Pura Fruta lot from Panther Coffee highlights the distinct character of the San Marcos region in Guatemala. Produced by Stuardo Coto, this coffee utilizes the Bourbon varietal, which is widely recognized for its balanced sweetness and complex profile. Because this lot undergoes a natural process, the beans retain the fruit of the coffee cherry during drying, a technique that often results in a heavier body and intensified fruit-forward characteristics.

In the cup, this selection presents a vibrant profile featuring raspberry, lime, and dried apricot, culminating in a punchy, sweet finish. When evaluating such profiles, enthusiasts often consult the flavor wheel to better identify the nuances inherent in these specific flavor descriptors. Grown at elevations between 1100 and 1450 masl, this coffee serves as a compelling example of how regional terroir and careful processing can shape the final sensory experience.