Guatemala Finca Carrizalito Washed

Flavour Notes

• Chocolate Ganache, Pecan Pie, Toffee

Key Highlights

• Nuevo Oriente, Guatemala
• 1,000–1,200 masl | SHB EP grade
• Washed process, patio-dried
• Smooth body with toasted pecan finish
• Suitable for espresso, pour-over, and drip

Specifications / Coffee Details

• Producer: Ricardo Zelaya
• Farm: Finca Carrizalito
• Origin: Nuevo Oriente, Guatemala
• Varietals: Caturra, Bourbon, Catuai, Villa Sarchi, Pacas
• Process: Washed
• Altitude: 1,000–1,200 masl
• Format: Whole Bean
• Size: 300g

Where Ricardo Zelaya’s work in coffee truly began.
A composed Guatemalan cup shaped by care and long-term stewardship.

Finca Carrizalito is more than a farm; it is the origin of Ricardo Zelaya’s life in coffee. In 1986, at just 21 years old, Ricardo purchased this land in the rugged highlands of northwestern Guatemala, turning academic training into practical experience. From early planting experiments to constructing his first wet mill, Carrizalito became the foundation of everything that followed.

Located in Nuevo Oriente at 1,000–1,200 masl and graded SHB EP, the farm benefits from rich volcanic soils and nearly eight months of annual rainfall. Today, it also serves as the nursery for Ricardo’s other farms, cultivating resilient seedlings that adapt successfully across his network, reinforcing consistency and long-term quality.

Reaching Carrizalito requires a six- to nine-hour journey over challenging roads, a reminder of its remote setting and the dedication required to maintain it. Yet its importance remains central. Beyond coffee production, the farm supports a primary school serving more than 100 local children, including access to a computer lab. This investment reflects Ricardo’s belief that sustainable coffee must also strengthen the surrounding community.

The lot itself is composed of Caturra, Bourbon, Catuai, Villa Sarchi, and Pacas. Fully washed and patio-dried, it is processed with an emphasis on clarity and structure. In the cup, expect milk chocolate and toffee pecan pie sweetness and a gentle citrus lift  for balance. The profile is smooth, grounded, and composed, a reflection of traditional washed craftsmanship and decades of steady refinement.

Carrizalito may not be the largest farm in Ricardo’s portfolio. Still, it remains the most symbolic: a place where knowledge became practice, and where a long-term vision for Guatemalan coffee first took root.

Why We Chose This Coffee

We chose this lot because it carries the beginning of Ricardo Zelaya’s story, not just as a producer, but as someone who built his understanding of coffee from the ground up. Carrizalito is where experimentation turned into conviction and where years of quiet, consistent work shaped a way of farming that values both quality and community.

There’s something honest about coffees like this. Nothing overstated, nothing forced, just clarity, balance, and the kind of profile that comes from knowing the land deeply over time.

It’s a cup that reflects where it all started, and why that still matters today.