Climpson & Sons: Guatemala, San Lorenzo, Washed

Set in the rainforest region of Coban, San Lorenzo is run by the pioneering Valdez family. Balanced, layered and moreish-ly sweet this represents Guatemalan coffee at its best.

The Valdez family have been producing coffee since 1965 with Don Luis (senior) overseeing their two farms whilst his sons Luis (junior) and Rodrigo manage the agricultural and export tasks. Over 110 hectares San Lorenzo is divided by variety into 20 separate plots. Ripe red cherries are processed at the family's wet mill where extended soaking times of up to 48 hours reflect with incredibly crisp and clean coffees.

The humid rainforest conditions make consistent drying a challenge that the family have innovated around. Clean coffee (still in parchment) starts its drying on patios before being moved to sheltered greenhouses for over 15 days. This would be sufficient in most other regions however Coban expects rain almost 10 months of the year so the coffees moisture content is further stabilised in rotating mechanical driers known as guardiolas. This carefully controlled drying process improves the longevity and consistency of flavour when the coffee is eventually packed for export.

A further 30 hectares of the farms land is set aside as conservation of native forest and wildlife. The Valdez family have seen the benefit in maintaing their unique ecosystem with the rainforest trees providing shade for coffee and helping balance soil minerals. A positive result of embracing this biodiversity is a reduced need for chemical fertilisers and a natural barrier in managing coffee leaf rust.