Have you ever noticed that some coffees seem made specifically for espresso, while others only shine as filter? Well, if you're the type who loves a creamy espresso with chocolate and sweetness up front, Guatemala is probably the answer you've been looking for.
Guatemala is an almost unreal fit for coffee — a mountain range dotted with active volcanoes, volcanic soils extremely rich in minerals and altitudes that easily reach 1,400-1,800 metres. This combination produces dense, complex beans with an aromatic structure few origins can match.
Antigua, Huehuetenango, Atitlan: Three names, three worlds
Guatemala has eight official coffee-growing regions, but three of them have clearly established themselves as international stars.
Antigua is probably the best-known area. A valley surrounded by three volcanoes, where rich soils and abundant rainfall create almost perfect conditions. Coffees from here have a full body, notes of chocolate and citrus and a subtle floral hint.
Huehuetenango is the opposite story in terms of landscape, but just as spectacular: the highest non-volcanic mountains in Central America, where coffee grows in the shade of other trees ("shade grown"), a detail that protects biodiversity and, at the same time, slows down the ripening of the beans.
The result is a coffee with a velvety, sweet-floral texture, surprisingly delicate for a high-altitude region.
Atitlan, around the lake of the same name, completes the picture with balanced coffees, often with livelier fruit notes.
Why almost all of Guatemala uses washed processing
Unlike Ethiopia, where we've already seen the huge difference between washed and natural processing, Guatemala goes almost exclusively down a single path: washed processing.
The reason is practical: the region's high humidity makes drying the beans directly inside the fruit (natural processing) extremely difficult and risky. So farmers wash the beans soon after harvest, achieving that characteristic aromatic clarity, but, unlike washed Ethiopian coffees, here the body stays full and the acidity is much gentler.
Marvin Carias, the man behind our lot
Our coffee from Guatemala bears the name of the very farmer who grew it: Marvin Carias, Washed process.
It's not a random detail: at MABO, Bogdan chooses lots precisely for stories like these, where you can put a face and a name behind every bag. The taste is exactly what you'd expect from a quality Guatemala: balance, chocolate, a natural sweetness you notice from the very first sip, with a subtle, almost velvety acidity.
The most versatile origin for any method
As espresso, it brings out sweetness and chocolate, which makes it an excellent choice for cappuccino, flat white or any milk drink (if you haven't tried our cappuccino guide yet, now is the perfect time). In an Ibrik / Cezve, the full body becomes even more pronounced, almost syrupy. If, however, you prefer filter, V60 or Chemex bring out the subtler floral notes, especially if you choose a lot from Huehuetenango.
So whatever brewing style you choose: espresso machine, Ibrik / Cezve or dripper, Guatemala adapts. It's a coffee you can confidently recommend to anyone, from curious beginners to enthusiasts with years of experience. Try the Marvin Carias lot at home with your favourite method, or come and taste it at a MABO coffee shop.
As always, tell us on Instagram (@mabo.coffee) what you thought of it, especially if you compared it directly with a coffee from Ethiopia. The difference between these two origins is, honestly, one of the most educational tastings you can do at home.
Enjoy your Mabo Coffee!
