FINCA EL PLATANILLO

£6.00

GUATEMALA - FINCA EL PLATANILLO, SAN RAFAEL, SAN MARCOS

Stuardo Coto Markus, 100% Maragogype, Wet processed

Finca El Platanillo is located on the slopes of the Tacana and Tajumulco volcanoes at an elevation of 1,060 to 1,460 metres. The farm covers an area of 368 hectares, of which 321 are planted with coffee.

The farm was bought in 1976 by Samuel Coto Escobar and is now managed by his son and daughter. Stuardo Coto Markus is the General Manager and Gladys Coto Markus de la Cerda manages the farm’s finances.

Maragogype is one of the so-called ‘heirloom’ varietals that are older plant types that were cultivated for flavour. Modern varietals, in contrast, tend to be optimised for yield, rather than taste. A Maragogype coffee bush may produce less than 1kg of green coffee a year whereas one of the newer high-yield hybrids varietals will easily produce three times as much.

Many of the maragogype coffees from Guatemala are a blend of several small lots which are sold to the mill and then bulked to create a larger lot. The maragogype that we buy from Finca El Platanillo is a true single estate maragogype. The result is a more consistent and high quality coffee season after season.

The beans are unique for their very large screen size and are often commonly referred to as ‘elephant beans’ (note that this should not be confused with the ‘elephant ear’ defect beans that are also selected out and then sold due to their unusual ‘hollow’ appearance and which may be from any Arabica varietal. The two are not the same!).

An elementary school was recently completed on the farm and this offers classes for the children of the farm workers and the broader community.

In The Cup: Beautifully balanced, medium body. We found delicate caramel, and a grapefruit finish

WE ROAST AND DISPATCH SHOP ORDERS ONCE A WEEK ON A WEDNESDAY. ALL ORDERS MUST BE PLACED BEFORE 12 MIDNIGHT ON TUESDAY AND WE WILL DO THE REST.