This coffee was processed through the washed method, first fermented for around 38 hours (the exact time depends on the climate) before being dried for around 7 days on raised beds under direct sun. Since there is little shade during the drying process, the coffee parchment must be turned every couple of hours to ensure even drying. Through years of trial and error, Jaime has found that this amount of fermentation combined with a quicker drying helps highlight the coffees sweetness while providing clear and distinct flavor layers.

A little more about this interesting variety; it was discovered near the Brazilian city of Maragogipe in 1870. A single dominant gene caused a natural mutation in the Typica variety that made the coffee seeds, cherries, internode spacing and leaves to become especially large. Originally referred to as the “Elephant” bean, Maragogype migrated to the rest of Latin America (hence the “y” instead of “i”) before making a stronghold in El Salvador and Guatemala. It’s now known as one of the parent varieties to both Pacamara and Maracaturra.

Toloxcoc is a remote village near the small town of Rabinal in the Guatemalan department of Baja Verapaz. Here the local people are predominantly Achi Maya Native Americans who still speak the ancestral language Achí. Besides coffee, locals are known for their detailed work in textiles, pottery and carpentry. Their skill in woodwork can be seen in the colorful wooden masks that are used in the now infamous Rabinal Achí - a Mayan song-dance-drama from the 15th Century.