Guatemala has long been a favourite origin for coffee-lovers, and whilst it is not the biggest producer of coffee beans in Latin America, it annually supplies the world with about 220,000 tonnes. The country’s high-altitude and volcanic soil make Guatemala an excellent environment to grow delicious coffee. A balance between deeply-rooted farming traditions, and economic pressures continue to drive a strong generational legacy of coffee-growing.

Much of the Guatemalan coffee consumed around the world and here in South Africa makes its way into blends. The Central American country’s archetypal nutty and full-bodied characteristics, as well as its reputation for consistent quality, make it both a crowd-pleaser and a helpful component to include in an espresso blend. Nevertheless, Guatemala also produces some excellent specialty lots worthy of drinking as single origins, and our friends at Quaffee have a bit of a track record of including such Guatemalan coffees in their offering.

This Blue Ayarza is a washed lot of coffee, so-called to reflect the stunning blue hue of the Laguna de Ayarza, a crater lake, formed by ancient eruptions close to the coffee’s origin. It is the product of different smallholder farmers throughout the hilly region of Santa Rosa, and processed at the nearby Covoyas cherry mill. It should offer an opportunity to taste a high-quality example of Guatemalan specialty coffee.

Phaedon's tasting notes

This Guatemalan lot offers a lot of what coffee drinkers (and coffee-blenders) seek out in a good Guatemalan. It's relatively low in acidity, smooth and silky on the palate, sweet and nicely balanced. Some will enjoy it in espresso but lovers of this kind of easy-drinking profile will surely appreciate it in manual brew methods as well. You'll almost definitely pick up some of those classic Central American nutty notes in your brews.

Quaffee’s notes

“We wanted to add a classic Guatemalan coffee to our offering, and Blue Ayarza fit perfectly. Zuka’s tasting notes were “Bold, chocolatey, floral-fruit in aroma. Stone fruits-apricots with clean aftertaste. However we found more Cacao powder, apricot and a little rose hips to start, with a long cocoa finish.”

• Taste profile: Cacao powder, apricot and a little rose hips to start with a long cocoa finish
• Body: Medium+
• Roast used: Intense flame to start, then a decreasing ramp rate, flame sustained into first crack, before dropping and finishing one minute after first crack
• Roast degree: Light - using my-tonino.com
• Quaffee brews:
• AeroPress: 15g:180g (fine)
• Espresso: 1:2.2 (32secs)
• Plunger: 48g:800g
• Pour-over/Filter: 18g:300g

Coffee Details from Quaffee

“Blue Ayarza showcases the collective effort of numerous smallholder farmers in the Ayarza region of Santa Rosa. Covoya’s cherry mill processes this washed lot and enforces strict standards to guarantee consistent quality. Traditionally, Guatemalan farmers processed coffee individually, which created challenges for quality control. Consequently, Covoya’s team transformed the system by centralising processing, paying premiums for ripe cherries, and applying uniform methods.

“Finally, the processing method blends tradition with innovation. Farmers de-pulp the cherries, ferment them for 4–6 hours, mechanically de-mucilage them, and then dry them on patios. This hybrid approach not only conserves water but also preserves the clarity and brightness of the cup profile.”

• Region: Ayarza, Santa Rosa 
• Country: Guatemala
• Farmers: Various smallholder farmers
• Cultivar: 100% Arabica; Bourbon, Catuai, Pache, San Ramon varieties
• Altitude: 1400 – 2000 masl
• Processing: Fully washed, and patio dried
• Packaging: Eco pack in hessian

Quaffee’s transparency information

• Sourced from: Blue Ayarza via Zuka Trading
• FOB price: Pending
• Cupping score: 84 (Zuka Green’s score)
• Producer / Organisation: Various smallholder farmers
• Lot size bought: 2 x 69kg bags
• Relationship: This is our first time offering Blue Ayarza, and we are excited to share it.