Guatemala Monte de Oro

Monte de Oro is back with the sweetness, and for the second year running, we're roasting up a two process blend from our friend Mario Alarcón.

Finca Monte de Oro is Huck's other Guatemala sourcing relationship, and while we do put a lot of focus on the AProCafé Association, there's no shortage of other great coffee in the country. We started sourcing coffee from Mario 5 years ago after being introduced by a mutual friend, and from day one his innovative approach to processing has set his coffees apart.

Mario focuses on honey-processed and natural coffees, and for the first 3 years, we were stoked to roast his honey process on its own. But, on a visit to Guatemala just before covid, it was hard to ignore the goodness of his naturals, too. When some other buyers backed out of commitments at the start of this pandemic, it created an opportunity to try something different.

Interested in learning a bit more about those processes? Check out our processing basics guide for a starting point.

With Mario's blessing, this is the second harvest blending his two processes together. Mario’s creamy and sweet black honey pairs with his jammy and berry-forward natural to create a blend that we think is the best of both worlds. Big body, big sweetness, and fruit that’s plenty present, but not quite as overpowering as it can be in a full natural.

A big shoutout to Mario for not only encouraging us to experiment with his coffees at the roastery, but also for experimenting and sharing knowledge with us on his farm. Mario and his team at Monte de Oro sweat all the details when it comes to picking, fermenting, and drying his coffee, and they’ve been happy to share the details with us. We in turn have shared some of that knowledge with other partners like AProCafé, so Mario’s coffee isn’t just excellent, but it helps create a rising tide for all the coffee we buy and roast from Guatemala. 

Like last year, 2021 Monte de Oro is big, sweet, fruity, and balanced, all at the same time. We’re tasting grape jam, honey, chocolate, and blueberry muffin, and are stoked to have this unique coffee back for another turn around the roastery. 

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