Guatemala - Seleccion San Martin Jilotepeque

Orange, honey, tamarind, brown sugar, cascara, long finish
TOP LOT
Log in to view price
Bag Weight 69 KG BAG
Harvest Season 2025/26
Status Spot
Lot Number P615322-3
  • 99 Bag(s)
Log In To Buy / Sample

About This Coffee

San Martín Jilotepeque, located in the department of Chimaltenango, benefits from an ideal combination of altitude, climate, and soil that makes it perfect for growing high-quality coffee. Situated at elevations between 1,500 and 1,800 meters above sea level, the region experiences cool temperatures that slow the coffee cherries' maturation. This extended growth period allows the beans to develop more complex sugars, resulting in a sweeter, more flavorful cup. The region’s volcanic soil is rich in minerals, further enhancing the coffee’s quality.

The washed process is widely practiced in San Martín Jilotepeque, allowing producers to showcase the true characteristics of their coffee. After carefully handpicking only the ripest cherries, farmers depulp the coffee to remove the outer fruit layer. The beans then undergo a controlled fermentation process, which breaks down the remaining mucilage and enhances the coffee’s clean and bright flavors. After fermentation, the coffee is washed with fresh mountain water and spread out on patios or raised beds to dry under the sun. By maintaining strict quality control throughout the process, these farmers ensure that every batch meets specialty-grade standards.

Country of Origin Guatemala
Region San Martin Jilotepeque, Chimaltenango
Producer Type Small Holder Farmers
Farm Name Various producers
Processing Washed
Processing Description Overnight fermenation, sun-dried on patios, finished in mechanical dryers
Growing Altitude 1100m - 1700m
Harvest Season 2025/26
Bag Weight 69 KG BAG
Bag Type Grain Pro / Ecotact
Plant Species Arabica
Variety Catuai, Caturra, Sarchimor

History of Coffee in Guatemala

Although coffee was brought over from the Caribbean in the mid-18th century by Jesuit priests, it was used primarily as an ornamental plant and garden crop for 100 years in Guatemala. Coffee wasn’t widely traded, however, until commercial production began in the 1850s. The volcanic soil and various micro-climates proved ideal for growing coffee in Guatemala. Coffee, within a generation, became the country’s most important crop. In 1860, Guatemala exported 140,000 pounds of coffee, and just 25 years later, the country was exporting over 40 million pounds. Large numbers of coffee farmers were German immigrants responsible for many inventions and innovations related to coffee milling. Most of Guatemala’s coffee was exported to Germany until the First World War, when exports shifted to the United States.

Growing Coffee in Guatemala

Coffee farming practices are similar to other countries in the region, but Guatemala has an abundance of water, volcanic soil, and very distinct micro-climates compared to its neighbors. Although late to coffee, Guatemala recognized and responded to the needs of the emerging specialty coffee sector earlier than most coffee-producing regions. Anacafé, the coffee producers association in Guatemala, identifies seven growing regions: Fraijanes, the plateau south of Guatemala City; Coban, a rainforest region in the center of the country; Huehuetenango, highlands near the border with Mexico; Atitlan, primarily the volcanic mountains on the Pacific side of Lake Atitlan; San Marcos, between Huehuetenango and the Pacific Ocean; Oriente, the driest of the growing regions located near the eastern border with Honduras; and the most famous of all, Antigua, nestled among the volcanoes an hour’s drive southwest of Guatemala City.

  • Region San Martin Jilotepeque, Chimaltenango
  • Farm Name Various producers
  • Producer Type Small Holder Farmers
  • Processing Washed
  • Processing Description Overnight fermenation, sun-dried on patios, finished in mechanical dryers
  • Bag Type Grain Pro / Ecotact
  • Plant Species Arabica
  • Variety Catuai, Caturra, Sarchimor
  • Min Growing Altitude 1100m
  • Max Growing Altitude 1700m
  • On Sale No
  • Top Lot Yes
  • Status Spot
  • Coffee Grade GTM CA WA SHB
  • CTRM Contract Number P615322-3
  • Country of Origin Guatemala
  • Warehouse Continental NJ