Farm info

Operated by Nicolas Hammond, Mercedes de Catalan can be found 1800 meters above sea level in the Chimaltenango region of Guatemala. The farm was named by Nicolas’ grandmother, Mercedes, who emigrated from Catalunya and sought to establish her own piece of her homeland in Guatemala.

Today, Nicolas grows a broad collection of varieties on the property, including Gesha and Pacamara, along with having a wet and dry mill for processing. The mills also function to serve nearby coffee growers for their processing needs through an agreement with Unitrade.

This lot of Orange Bourbon coffee underwent Washed processing. Freshly harvested coffee cherries were fermented for 12 hours prior to being pulped. The pulped coffee was then wet fermented for 8 hours in ceramic tanks prior to being washed. The Washed parchment was dried on sun-exposed drying beds for 10–15 days.

Region

Acatenango Valley

The Acatenango Valley region is found in the Chimaltenango Department and shares a name with the nearby Acatenango volcano. Coffee here is grown as high as 2000 meters above sea level under dense shade. Constant eruptions from another nearby volcano, Volcán de Fuego, keep the area’s soil fertile and filled with minerals. Temperate gusts from the Pacific Ocean and marked seasons allow coffee to be sun-dried.