Tasting Notes
FLAVOR: Dark Chocolate • Caramel • Blackberry • Vanilla
BODY: Medium
ACIDITY: Medium
PROCESS: Washed
Size: 12 oz
Origin: Huehuetenango, Guatemala
Varieties: Bourbon • Caturra • Catuai
Origin Notes
Guatemala La Morena | Huehuetenango
Rich chocolate and caramel meet ripe blackberry and soft vanilla in this beautifully balanced coffee from the mountains of Huehuetenango, Guatemala.
But there's more behind this coffee than what's in the cup.
La Morena was created to connect women coffee producers directly to the global specialty coffee market. What began as a small project involving just four women and roughly 2,000 pounds of coffee has grown into a program working with hundreds of women farmers across Guatemala.
The result is a coffee that's both approachable and complex—with a story every bit as meaningful as its flavor.
La Morena | Coffee Grown By Women
The La Morena program began in 2016 with a straightforward goal: create greater access to the global coffee supply chain for women coffee farmers.
The program started with four members of the International Women's Coffee Alliance and a tiny shipment of just 32 boxes of green coffee. Roasters quickly embraced the coffee, and that first lot sold out.
By 2023, the program had grown to work with more than 800 women farmers throughout the coffee-growing regions of Huehuetenango and Baja Verapaz.
Today, La Morena provides a platform for women producers to bring their coffees to the specialty market while helping address gender inequality within the coffee industry.
For us, it's a reminder that knowing where your coffee comes from isn't only about geography. It's also about knowing the people who grow it.
Huehuetenango | Coffee From The Mountains
Huehuetenango—pronounced way-way-teh-NAN-go—is one of Guatemala's most distinctive coffee-growing regions.
Located in the country's remote western highlands, its mountains create elevations that can reach approximately 6,500 feet (2,000 meters). The region's relatively dry, frost-free climate allows coffee to thrive at elevations where growing conditions might otherwise become difficult.
Many farms are located in areas so remote that producers traditionally operate their own small processing mills, often using water from the region's numerous rivers.
Those high elevations and unique microclimates help create coffees known for their body, sweetness, and vibrant fruit character.
Washed Processing | Clarity In The Cup
This coffee is washed processed, a method designed to remove the coffee cherry's fruit before the beans are dried.
By reducing the amount of time the bean spends drying inside the fruit, washed processing tends to highlight the coffee itself—its variety, growing conditions, acidity, and natural flavor characteristics.
For this La Morena lot, that translates into a clean, balanced cup where dark chocolate and caramel provide a rich foundation while blackberry adds fruit character and vanilla brings a soft sweetness to the finish.
It's complex enough to explore but approachable enough to become an everyday favorite.
Bourbon, Caturra & Catuai
This coffee brings together three Arabica varieties widely cultivated throughout Latin America: Bourbon, Caturra, and Catuai.
Rather than tasting like three separate coffees, the varieties work together to create a balanced cup with sweetness, structure, and complexity.
Combined with Huehuetenango's elevation and washed processing, they help create the layered experience we find in this coffee—from familiar chocolate and caramel to blackberry and subtle vanilla.
Guatemala | Shaped By Mountains & Volcanoes
Coffee and geography are deeply connected in Guatemala.
The country's dramatic landscape was shaped by extensive volcanic activity, leaving behind mountain ranges, fertile soils, and numerous microclimates that provide exceptional conditions for coffee cultivation.
Those differences in elevation, rainfall, temperature, and soil allow Guatemala to produce remarkably diverse coffees from one growing region to another.
Huehuetenango stands apart because of its remote mountain environment and high elevations, creating coffees with a distinctive combination of sweetness, body, and acidity.
Why You'll Love This Coffee
If you're looking for a single-origin coffee that's easy to enjoy but still gives you something new to discover, Guatemala La Morena is an excellent choice.
Dark chocolate and caramel make the first sip immediately familiar. As the coffee develops, blackberry introduces a gentle fruitiness while vanilla creates a soft, sweet finish.
Its medium body and balanced acidity make it especially approachable for someone beginning to explore specialty coffee, while its origin, varieties, processing, and producer story provide plenty for experienced coffee drinkers to appreciate.
And with every cup comes the story of the women farmers behind La Morena—a program demonstrating how exceptional coffee can create opportunities far beyond the cup.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the La Morena program?
La Morena was created in 2016 to provide women coffee farmers with greater access to the global coffee supply chain. What began with four women producers has grown into a program working with hundreds of women farmers throughout Guatemala.
What does "SHB EP" mean?
SHB stands for Strictly Hard Bean, a classification associated with coffee grown at higher elevations. Slower maturation at elevation can produce denser coffee beans. EP, or European Preparation, refers to additional sorting of the green coffee to remove defects before export.
Does blackberry mean this coffee is flavored?
No. Nothing is added to create the tasting notes. Blackberry, chocolate, caramel, and vanilla describe flavors and aromas naturally present in the roasted coffee. Think of them the same way people describe fruit, spice, or chocolate notes in wine.
What does washed coffee taste like?
Washed coffees are often prized for their clean, clear flavor profiles. In this coffee, the washed process helps keep the blackberry and vanilla distinct while maintaining the chocolate and caramel sweetness underneath.
What's the best way to brew Guatemala La Morena?
This is an exceptionally versatile coffee. Pour-over and Chemex will emphasize its blackberry and vanilla characteristics, while drip and AeroPress provide a balanced combination of chocolate, caramel, and fruit. A French press can emphasize more of its body and rich chocolate character.
Whichever method you choose, try tasting the coffee again after it has cooled for several minutes. That's often when the blackberry and vanilla notes become easier to recognize.
