Guatemala: San Patricio El Limón, Caturra, Natural

Black cherry yoghurt sits at the heart of the cup, with plum and currants bringing layers of rich fruit character. The warmth of brandy and sweetness of almonds round out this luscious cup.

A desire to experiment is one of the big reasons that we love buying coffee from San Patricio El Limón; we've been sourcing coffee from them since 2013. They were the first producers we ever bought from directly in Guatemala, and they just keep getting more awesome each year. This season we've purchased three lots of delicious Guatemalan single origin coffee from El Limón. This lot is a Natural Process Caturra.

On The Farm

Tucked into the rolling hills of Palencia, just a short drive east of Guatemala City, lies San Patricio El Limón. This Guatemalan specialty coffee farm has been owned and operated since the late 1990s by Guadalupe "Beto" Reyes and his family.

El Limón spans 18 hectares and sits at an altitude of 1,350-1,850 metres above sea level. The farm mainly produces Caturra and Bourbon but has also started growing SL28, H1, H3, Maracaturra, Maragogype, Geisha, Pacamara, Caturra, and Catuaí (Yellow and Red). 

With its high altitudes, volcanic soils, and temperate climate, Palencia has all the natural ingredients required for producing exceptional coffee, despite not being one of Guatemala’s eight officially recognised coffee-growing regions.

Meticulous Milling

The dedication and care devoted to each stage of production is reflected in the fact that the family also operates its own wet mill, allowing them to separate different lots and maintain full control over coffee quality.

They have the capacity to process multiple lots simultaneously while keeping separate days' pickings, processing methods, and varietals isolated within their own individual parcels. The wet mill also benefits the wider local community, with neighbouring producers from the Palencia region bringing their coffees to be processed there.

Over time, El Limón has become one of our favourite producer relationships. We believe this farm is a shining example of what happens when passion, innovation, and collaboration come together. Beto’s approach to specialty coffee is rooted in care and curiosity.

To dive deeper into the story of Beto and El Limón, check out our Producer Story here: The Reyes Family Producer Story.

• Country: Guatemala
• Region: Palencia
• Farm: San Patricio El Limón
• Producers: The Reyes Family
• Altitude: 1,350-1,850 m.a.s.l.
• Coffee growing area: 9 hectares
• Varietal: Caturra
• Processing method: Natural

Tasting notes: Black cherry yoghurt, plum, almond.

Cup of Excellence Cupping Scores

• Clean cup: 6.5/8
• Sweetness: 7/8
• Acidity: 6/8
• Mouthfeel: 6/8
• Flavour: 7/8
• Aftertaste: 6.5/8
• Balance: 6.5/8
• Overall: 6.5/8
• Correction: +36
• Total: 88/100

If you'd like to find out more about how we score coffees, make sure to read our blog post “What Do Coffee Cupping Scores Actually Mean?” and if you'd like to try cupping yourself, we've got a guide to that too! What is Coffee Cupping.

Medium-dark - this coffee needs steady, consistent heat through the gap and taking it into the first pops of second should get you where you need to be.

Recommended Resting Time

Our coffee is roasted fresh and ships quickly – which means it might arrive a little lively. Freshly roasted beans are still busy releasing carbon dioxide (a natural byproduct of roasting), and all that activity can make your brew taste a bit sharp or unsettled.

Give it a few days to calm down and something lovely happens. Those brighter, edgier notes mellow out, sweetness develops, and the flavours you're actually after can really come into focus.

We recommend resting your coffee for at least 5-7 days from the roast date on the bag before brewing. A little patience goes a long way.

That said, this is just what we've found works best – not a rule. If you can't wait, we completely understand. Tuck in whenever you like.