Guatemala — Luis Pedro Zelaya Aguirre Finca Buena Vista "Cloud Nine" Geisha (Washed)

Tastes Like — 🍑 Peach • 🍊 Tangerine • 🍵 Chamomile Tea • 🌸 Floral

DETAILS

• Producer: Luis Pedro Zelaya Aguirre
• Farm: Finca Buena Vista (90 hectares)
• Region: Antigua Valley, Guatemala
• Varietal: Geisha
• Process: Washed
• Altitude: 1,500–1,890 masl
• Sourced through: The Coffee Quest

INTRO
A new edition of Cloud Nine and a new origin: Finca Buena Vista in the Antigua Valley, a 90-hectare farm managed by Luis Pedro Zelaya Aguirre since 1995, in one of Guatemala's most historically significant coffee regions. Soft, luminous, and deeply floral. In the cup: peach, tangerine, chamomile tea, and floral.

THE PRODUCER
The Geisha story here started with a gift: a close family friend and neighbour at Finca Filadelfia, returning from Panama with Geisha seeds, shared some with Luis Pedro. The first generations showed exceptional cup quality but lacked uniformity, with growth, productivity, and fruit characteristics varying from tree to tree. Rather than replacing the material, the Zelaya family chose to improve it from within. Year after year they selected seeds from the best-performing trees, evaluating morphology, vigour, branching, overall health, the sweetness of ripe cherries, and what ended up in the cup. The result is a Geisha population now more uniform and stable than ever, while retaining the floral elegance and complexity that makes the variety worth growing. This is the roaster's first year working with Finca Buena Vista and the Zelaya family.

THE PROCESS
This lot is fully washed, processed at the farm's own wet mill. Cherries are harvested at peak ripeness, depulped, fermented, and thoroughly washed to remove all remaining mucilage. The parchment then dries on African beds for up to 16 days depending on weather, with constant movement for even drying.

The decade-plus of in-house seed selection, combined with slow ripening at 1,500–1,890 masl, is the defining factor here. Volcanic soils and cool mountain air give the cherries time to concentrate sweetness and build the aromatic complexity behind this cup.

THE CUP
Soft and luminous: ripe, perfumed peach opens the cup, with tangerine adding a bright citrus lift without sharpness. Chamomile tea runs through the middle, soft and slightly herbal, before a long floral finish closes the cup. The kind of cup that rewards slowing down and letting it cool.

Flavour Notes
🍑 Peach 🍊 Tangerine 🍵 Chamomile Tea 🌸 Floral