Finca Vista Hermosa (or, “Farm of the Beautiul View”) represents a legacy of three generations of coffee lovers who have poured their hearts into the rich land of Huehuetenango, Guatemala. Because it is situated in the highlands, Huehuetenango coffees are among the more coveted coffees of altitude from Guatemala. The family plantation is located in Agua Dulce, Huehuetenango in northwest Guatemala.
Finca Vista Hermosa is ecologically sound and healthy, a model for many shade grown and organic plantations. Finca Vista Hermosa runs a good model for being both environmentally and socially responsible for a farm in the region, as they don’t use any herbicides, pesticides or fungicides.
This year Coffee Collective bought four micro lots from their long-time partner Edwin Martinez, the owner of Finca Vista Hermosa. Coffee Collective has been buying from Finca Vista Hermosa since 2007, making this the eighth year that they’ve bought the Martinez family’s coffee.
Welcome to my Table, here in the corner of this cafe. Today we’re sipping a cup of Guatemala Finca Vista Hermosa, from Coffee Collective in Copenhagen, Denmark. Feel free to pull up a chair.
THEDETAILS:
region: Agua Dulce, Huehuetenango, Guatemala
farm: Finca Vista Hermosa
producer: Edwin Martinez
association: N/A
elevation: 1650 meters above sea level
cultivars: Bourbon
process: fully washed, patio dried
certifications: Direct Trade
CUPPINGNOTES:
The aroma of the Finca Vista Hermosa is delectable and impeccable. I can smell the creaminess that will be in the cup’s flavor as I’m picking out notes of warm and smooth salted caramel and butter; there are also some wonderfully fragrant fruit and floral aromatics, as I’m detecting scents of soft red fruits, honeysuckle and rose hips.
The flavor of the coffee kicks off with a creamy chocolate cake batter and a touch of bakers spices that tickle and tingle the tip and back of the tongue.
As it cools down, the body of the coffee firms up, becoming light and crisp. Floral honeysuckles and rose hips complement a soft caramel flavor, while even softer red fruits (raspberry, cherry, and apple) and plum traipse in behind. A cool and refreshing malic acidity streams down the middle of the palate. It isn’t sharp, rather it is crisp and quick, briskly making an appearance on the middle and sides of the tongue before washing it clean, leaving behind a fresh, sparkly finish.
Medium body; supple mouthfeel; malic acidity; clean finish.
FINALTHOUGHTS:
The Guatemala Finca Vista Hermosa is an extremely popular coffee, and for very good reason: it’s a wonderful, balanced, nicely-rounded cup of coffee with a great flavor profile that appeals to all coffee lovers.
Its medium body and buttery sweetness will appeal to South American coffee fans and its chocolaty overtones and complex floral aromatics will appeal to African coffee lovers.
Even with its popularity and even with my affinity for it from previous encounters, I still had really high expectations for The Coffee Collective’s take on it. And they certainly didn’t disappoint. While it’s been pretty straightforward in the past, Coffee Collective managed to transform it into a really interesting and complex coffee with a ton of depth and a crisp, clean finish.
What were your thoughts of this one? Comments, questions, and suggestions are always welcome! Feel free to enter a comment below. Also remember to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!
Andrew is a husband, father, dog lover, craft beverage enthusiast, content creator, and niche market Internet celebrity. Formerly of A Table in the Corner of the Cafe and The Pulitzer Project and contributor to Barista Magazine and Mental Floss, he’s been writing on the Internet for years.