Coffea Diversa Mgy - Guatemala

Origin: Guatemala, Suchitan
Producer: Jose Padilla and Gonzalo Hernandez
Farm: Coffea Diversa
Altitude: 1600-1700 masl
Variety: Maragogype
Process: Natural winey

AGROFORESTRY COFFEE

Coffea Diversa Suchitan is a collaborative project initiated by Jose Padilla and Gonzalo Hernandez. Several years ago, these two coffee enthusiasts decided to take seeds from the original Coffea Diversa Botanical Garden in Biolley, Costa Rica, to establish a new coffee garden in Suchitan, Guatemala.
Coffea Diversa is home to the largest private collection of coffee botanical varieties in the world, featuring around 850 specimens, many of which have yet to produce. Currently, they cultivate micro-lots of approximately 25 different coffee botanical varieties. Similar to a traditional flower garden that showcases a wide range of plants and flowers, the Coffea Diversa Garden contains numerous rare coffee botanical varieties.
This is why they proudly state: “we are not a coffee farm, we are a coffee garden”.

At Coffea Diversa, coffee is shade grown beneath the region's natural native trees. They are intercropped within an agroforestry system that includes Ingas (Inga edulis) and avocado trees.
They believe that their approach to coffee genetic diversity is crucial for sustainable coffee cultivation, as it avoids the genetic uniformity seen in mono-varietal plantations, which are more vulnerable to pests and diseases. Coffea Diversa has pioneered this botanical approach to coffee cultivation, making it unique worldwide.
Most arabica coffee varieties grown globally trace their genetic lineage back to C. arabica Typica and C. arabica Bourbon. As a result, the genetic makeup of nearly all arabica coffee is quite uniform. The variations in flavor arise primarily from the microclimates and geographic conditions of the growing regions, rather than from the genetic diversity of the coffee plants themselves. This genetic uniformity is further reinforced by the largely self-pollinating nature of Coffea arabica. In contrast, Coffea Diversa adopts a different strategy; they cultivate small plots of various botanical variety within a fixed terroir. This means that the differences in flavor profiles stem from genetic diversity rather than terroir.

The name "Coffea Diversa" aptly reflects the essence of their garden, as the Latin terms mean "diversity of coffees" or "coffee of many diverse botanical varieties." Mr. Padilla and Mr. Hernandez explored various coffee regions in Guatemala and concluded that the Suchitan micro-region, located on the eastern side of the country, offered the best conditions for producing exceptional quality coffee.


The variety
Maragogype 928
Maragogype 928 is a natural mutation of the Typica variety that was discovered in the town of Maragogype, located in Bahia State, Brazil, in 1870. This variety is characterized by its tall stature and large, bold beans. The 928 line differs from the conventional Maragogype variety due to its wide branch spacing along the main stem and the broad spacing of the branch buds, resulting in thin foliage that allows light to pass through the plant. However, it is susceptible to Coffee Leaf Rust, and the yield of Maragogype 928 is notably low.

The processing
Natural Winey
This lot grows between 1,600 and 1,700 meters above sea level. It’s harvested when the fruit is well ripe on the plant above 22 to 26 oBx. After picking cherries are left to rest for 12 hours and finally dried on African beds.
The terms “winey” refers to the maturation of the cherries on the coffee tree, in this case leaving the cherries on the plants for up to two weeks after ripening or above 20 degrees Brix, causing some fruits to overripe. Acquiring a higher concentration of sugar, highlighting higher florals and sweetness in the cup.
*Brix Degrees = oBx.*