Guatemala San Diego Buena Vista Pink Bourbon

Acatenango is one of the under appreciated growing regions of Guatemala. It has always been overshadowed by nearby Antigua, and in fact many Acatenango coffees were sold as Antigua lots for many years. In mill-mark Antiguas, this is still the case, since farmers who sell cherries or the collectors who round it up and bring it to the mill rarely respect such boundaries. But Acatenango coffees come from some of the most beautiful farms I have seen in Guatemala, and San Diego Buena Vista ("SDBV") is a case in point. I have visited this 1500 meter farm several times and have been impressed with their practices, the way they have separated all the cultivars on the farm, and the beautiful condition of the mill. Last time I was there, all the harvest was in, and they were reconditioning the mill, replacing bearings, cleaning and painting. Reinvestment and pride are always good signs at a mill! Cleanliness doesn't hurt either, and the SDBV mill, while quite old, was beautiful, even down to the flowers surrounding the office alongside the drying patio. This is a Pink Bourbon separation from the farm, which gets its name from the pinkish coloring of the cherry, often looking a little more orange than pink (though not as orange as "Orange Bourbon" - yes, really!). There's been genetic testing that's linked samples of this variety to Ethiopian landrace, though it's still quite likely related to Bourbon. The genetic distinction between Bourbon, Typica, and Ethiopian types is very subtle.