Atitlán - Gesha - Guatemala

Along the southern shores of Lake Atitlán, where mist drifts between volcanic peaks, the farmers of Aprocafé Atitlán (Asociación de Productores de Café de Atitlán) cultivate coffee with deep respect for their land and community. The association, now made up of 54 smallholder producers, is co-chaired by Pedro Isaías González and Izaias Ixcamparic Mazariegos, who help guide the group’s vision toward innovation and shared growth.

Most of Aprocafé’s coffee comes from individual family plots, but the group also tends to a few collectively owned parcels — small experimental farms where new varieties and techniques take root. A few years ago, they planted a tiny plot of Gesha just outside San Juan la Laguna. Production remains just one to two bags per harvest, but several members have since planted Gesha at higher elevations, and those trees are expected to yield their first cherries in the 2025–2026 harvest.

For this season, the group produced an extended-fermentation washed lot that speaks to both curiosity and care. The cherries were held for 36 hours before depulping, then fermented another 24 hours before washing and slowly dried on raised beds for 10–14 days. The result is a clean, vibrant expression of Atitlán — layered with sweetness, structure, and the unmistakable touch of the producers who bring it to life.