Guatemalan, La Concepción. Medium/Dark

Around the turn of the 20th century (1890), don Anacleto Marroquin, a first-generation coffee producer, in an attempt to benefit from the boom of the coffee industry that resulted from the enactment of policies of the central government which favored this industry, bought Finca Esperanza, in the valley of Acatenango, together with his wife Higinia Melendez.

The original farm was about 250 hectares in size. In 1910, don Anacleto’s daughter Maria Natalia and her husband Maximiliano Perez inherited the farm, and started planting it anew. All of the production in the following decades was transported with donkeys and mules to the town of Acatenango, a two-and-a-half-hour-long trip, to be processed in one of the few wet mills in the area. It was not until 1956 when Maximiliano built their own wet mill in the farm and started to introduce Caturra as the main varietal in the farm.

In 1968 Finca La Esperanza won 2nd prize of the national competition for coffees grown above 4000 ft. In 1978, Maria Natalia and Maximiliano’s daughters Berta and Julia inherit the farm and manage it for another 3 decades, selling part of it in the process, before finally selling the farm to don Hector Leal in the early 2010’s. Today, formerly known as La Esperanza, Finca Concepcion is comprised of 100 hectares and the owner, putting his 65+ years of coffee work and knowledge to use, has transformed the farm with new growing methods and varietals which include H1, H3, Casiopea, Gesha, Ethiopean Dwarf, Pink Bourbon, amongst others, producing an exquisite cup of coffee. ​ Javier was fortunate to meet Maris Leal and Daniel Skineer-Klee. Maris is the granddaughter of Don Hector Leal and currently manages the farm with her husband, Daniel. Their collaboration appears seamless, and their dedication to exceptional quality is evident. Maris has also judged coffees at ANACAFE (The Guatemalan Coffee Association), and together with Daniel, they have three lovely children.