Producer: Juan Diego de la Cerda
Farm: Finca El Socorro
Region: Guatemala Department, Guatemala
Altitude: 5,750 feet | 1,753 masl
Varietal: Maracaturra
Process: Honey
Roast: Light
Notes: Almond, Lemon Balm, Caramel

Maracaturra is a hybrid of the giant Maragogype bean and the more traditional and sweet Caturra. It's a productive plant but highly susceptible to leaf rust, so it must be carefully monitored.

If you're a fan of El Socorro's washed Maracaturra, this is a must-try! Juan Diego de la Cerda recently built raised drying beds (pictured above) to allow for more experimentation with honey and natural processed coffees at the farm.

In the honey process the skin of the coffee cherry is removed after harvest but much of the sticky, sweet mucilage is allowed to dry on the inner seed's protective parchment layer instead of being washed off. Honey processing tends to emphasize fruit flavors and lend the coffee a silky or creamy body while muting acidity somewhat.

Finca El Socorro, owned by Juan Diego de la Cerda and his family, has proven itself to be one of the best coffee farms in Guatemala year after year. In 2007, Juan Diego won 1st place in the Guatemala Cup of Excellence for the first time, and then took 4th place in 2008. He won in 2011 with the Maracaturra lot, and again in 2020 with his washed Gesha!

Such consistent results made us jump at the chance to become Direct Trade partners with Juan Diego, and we're proud to continue offering El Socorro's excellent coffees year after year.