Finca El Bosque

Finca El Bosque was founded in 1932, when Julian Flores acquired 14 hectares of land in Guatemala’s western highlands. He planted out all of his land with Bourbon varietal coffee trees and gradually extended the farm until his death in 1947. Julian’s only son, José Eladio Flores, and his wife, Martha Stalla, then took over and, in 1970, added another 23 hectares to El Bosque, again planting the Bourbon coffee varietal. Following José’s death in 1996, the farm has passed to a third generation - José and Martha’s four sons, Julio, José, Francisco and Mario.

After years of selling unprocessed coffee, it was this latest generation that decided to invest in their own wet mill - built inline with strict environmental guidelines - which means that they can process their coffee themselves. The family has also diversified into growing other plants for local consumption such as avocados, roses and lemons.

Finca El Bosque now employs 40 workers and each family that lives on the farm is given their own plot to grow corn, beans, tomatoes and other produce. In 2000, the Flores brothers were recognised by the Asociación Nacional de Café de Guatemala (Anacafé) for their efforts in the area of social development and productivity.

Great care is taken to preserve and sustain the local environment. Waste water and coffee pulp are recycled to irrigate and fertilise the farm. Finca El Bosque – whose name translates as ‘forest’ – also has a large area of woodland reservation, which is home to a wide variety of native plants, animals and birdlife.

Cupping Date: 

2 November 2011

Cup: 

Transparent

Sweetness: 

Sugar Cane

Acidity: 

Citrus / Citric Lively

Mouthfeel: 

Coating

Flavour: 

Lemon Milk Chocolate Honey

Aftertaste: 

Sweet

Balance/Overall: 

Well balanced

Overall: 

A coating mouthfeel and long, sugar cane sweetness. Well balanced with a lively citrus acidity and notes of honey, lemon and milk chocolate.