Guatemala | Alma

For three generations, the producers behind Alma have grown coffee in the highlands of Huehuetenango. Over the past twenty years, they have expanded to partner with other producing families, cooperatives, and associations across Guatemala. Their mission is to connect these families and their coffees with roasters around the world.

Their sustainable sourcing approach is similar to their strategy as farmers and sellers: everything has a home. From 88+ Cup of Excellence submissions to 82-point mill-outs and final picks sold to local consolidators, there is value at every level. Alma brings together bright, fruit-forward coffees scoring 84.5 and above, coffees with a lot of soul, from vendor partners across Guatemala, from Huehuetenango to Jalapa. A Guatemala-based quality-control team meticulously selects each coffee to create a consistent, clean, and lightly fruity blend. “La Alma” means “the soul,” and this blend is intended to bring vitality and warmth to an espresso or house coffee.

For every pound of Alma sold, $0.05 goes directly to Habitat for Humanity Guatemala in support of its Smokeless Stove Program. These clean stoves benefit families for decades by improving indoor air quality and wood-fuel efficiency while reducing cooking time. Sales of Alma from the 2021 harvest alone provided 42 families with new stoves. Future plans include investing in home-building trips at origin with volunteers from every link in the coffee value chain.

We taste: malt chocolate, date, pecan

Country: Guatemala Region: Huehuetenango Varieties: Bourbon, Caturra, Pache Process: Washed Elevation: 1,400 - 1,600 Meters Above Sea Level (MASL)

Sourced from the high-elevation landscapes of Guatemala · Huehuetenango, this offering from Quills Coffee showcases the classic profile of the Bourbon varietal. Grown between 1400 and 1600 masl, the coffee undergoes a washed process, a method typically employed to highlight the inherent clarity and acidity of the bean. In the cup, this lot presents a comforting combination of malt chocolate, date, and pecan.

While flavor profiles are influenced by a complex interplay of terroir and post-harvest techniques, washed coffees are often celebrated for their clean, balanced character. To better understand how these specific descriptors align with broader sensory categories, you can explore the flavor wheel. This particular selection serves as a refined example of the traditional quality associated with the Huehuetenango region, emphasizing a structured sweetness that remains a hallmark of well-processed Bourbon crops.