Tasting Notes: Orange, Vanilla, Chocolate

Variety: Red Bourbon, Caturra, Pache

Processing: Washed

Origin: Palencia, Guatemala

Producers: Victor Calderon

Altitude: 1750m

El Tambor was founded as a cattle ranch in 1930 and was first planted with coffee in 1966. Nowadays, it's one of the most respected coffee farms in Guatemala, with several Cup of Excellence wins to show for its efforts. Owner Victor Calderon is serious about quality - implementing a rigorous process to identify the highest quality plants early on in the lifecycle. For every 50,000 seeds germinated, they only pot the most promising 40,000. As the coffee continues to develop, only the best 18,000 to 25,000 starts are planted at El Tambor, and the rest are sold to other producers. These high standards carry over through the entire production process at El Tambor, from picking to milling to patio-drying. Mr. Calderon is also very proud that the farm uses only biodynamic and organic practices - and hopes to be an example of how to sustainably produce exceptional quality coffees.

After featuring one of El Tambor's decaf lots, we knew that we needed to try some of their caffeinated offerings - and this one surpassed our already high expectations. We're picking up on a fragrant orange blossom aroma and some delicate vanilla notes - along with a smooth chocolatey undertone that really emphasizes the body of this brew. El Tambor is a fantastic cup of coffee from a fantastic producer, and we couldn't be more excited to share it with our fantastic members.