Producer: Juan Diego de la Cerda
Farm: Finca El Socorro y Anexos
Region: Palencia, Guatemala Dept.
Altitude: 1,798-1,890 masl
Varietal: Java
Process: Washed
Roast: Light
Notes: Papaya, Gingersnap, Black Tea

Juan Diego planted Java several years ago in El Socorro's Las Marias plantation, above a large plot of beautiful blue hydrangeas near the farmhouse. The windy, east-facing slope is shaded in the afternoon.

Java was one of several lots in which polymers were placed in the planting holes to aid in water absorption, reducing the need for irrigation. El Socorro has had excellent results with this system and the Java lot has become highly sought after each year.

Java has been cultivated since at least the early 19th century, when Dutch traders introduced it (via Ethiopia) to the Indonesian island that gives it its name. Around 1990 Java was introduced to Costa Rica by the Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD). It is now known for being tolerant to disease and performing particularly well at high altitudes in Central America.

Finca El Socorro is an exemplar of sustainable farm management. The river that bisects the farm provides all the water for the wet mill, solar panels generate nearly all the electricity needed for daily operations, and meticulous processing is performed on-site. With four First Place finishes in the Guatemala Cup of Excellence since 2007, the quality of Juan Diego de la Cerda's coffee speaks for itself.

See the sights from our February 2023 visit to Finca El Socorro on our blog.