Hacienda Carmona

  • Country
    Guatemala
  • Department
    Sacatepéquez
  • Municipality
    Antigua
  • Farm Size
    110 Hectares
  • Elevation
    1,600 - 2,000m above sea level
  • Variety
    Bourbon, Typica, Pacas
  • Processing
    Washed
  • Farm Manager
    Ricardo & Luis Pedro Zelaya
  • Farm Owner
    María Zelaya Aguirre
  • Awards
    Cup of Excellence 2002, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2017, 2020
  • Relationship Length
    Since 2022

Distinct and complex, with lifted acidity and fruit-forward character. Pink Lady Apple, apricot and raspberry.

The Zelaya family has been growing coffee for more than 100 years. This renowned family owns farms throughout Guatemala and grows some of only a handful of genuine ‘Antigua’ coffees (coffees grown in the Antigua valley area, bounded by three volcanoes: Agua, Acatenango and Fuego).

Hacienda Carmona is 700 hectares in size, of which some 150 are dedicated to coffee and 500 to natural reserve. The estate is located on the fertile slopes of the Hunahpú Volcáno (also called Agua in Spanish), in the Antigua Valley, at 1,600–2,000 metres above sea level. Coffee was first planted here in the 1800s, and the estate’s first exportable crop was produced in 1918. Over 100 years later, those same original varieties remain planted today: Typica and Bourbon – contributing to an elegant and unique flavour profile.

 

The farm has been owned by Maria Zelaya Aguirre since 1959, who is part of the third generation of the Zelaya family to have produced coffee in the estate. For decades, coffee was grown following conventional and old fashioned techniques – which were effective enough while the focus was on commercial-grade coffee, but became difficult to continue once the family began to focus on specialty-grade coffee. In 2012, after a bad bout of leaf rust decimated the farm, Maria decided to completely overhaul the agricultural practices in place to combat the disease.

With the help of nephews Luis Pedro and Ricardo Zelaya, she began to implement tissue management, plant nutrition, and pest control techniques to great medium-term and long-term success. Because the farm also dedicates farmland to Holstein cattle (considered the best dairy cattle in Guatemala!) they have also been able to introduce organic practices to their fertilisation program, switching to using cow manure instead of solely relying on chemical fertilisers. Around 25% of the land dedicated to coffee is part of a newer plantation, as Ricardo is slowly but surely renovating the whole estate. Ten years on, these efforts have resulted in greater yields, healthier trees and an across-the-board improvement in the quality of the coffee produced!

 

Though Maria continued to manage the farm into her 80s, she has recently decided to hand the reins over to nephews Luis Pedro and Ricardo, our longtime producing partner and manager of Santa Clara Estate. Today, Ricardo continues to manage Hacienda Carmona in the same meticulous and professional manner instilled in him by Maria. Like all of the farms he looks after, Carmona is scrupulously well-managed—from the careful selection of varietals planted and attention given to plant nutrition and pruning, to the management and close supervision of the wet and dry mills. Most of the mills are located on each estate and owned or managed by Ricardo, giving him complete control over quality from picking through to export. Head here to learn more about the Zelaya family’s work in Antigua.

ABOUT ANTIGUA GUATEMALA

The Antigua valley is bounded by three volcanoes – Hunahpú (also called Agua in Spanish), Chi Q’aq’ (also called Fuego) and Acatenango. Of the three, Chi Q’aq’ is the only one still active. On many visits, we have been in town at times the volcano has erupted, adding some chaos to the harvest (in the short term, the ash can stick to the leaves of coffee trees nearby and prevent the trees from photosynthesising), but ultimately providing mineral-rich ash for Antigua’s soil. This volcanic matter helps the soil retain its moisture, offsetting the region’s lower rainfall.

Coffee from Antigua is perhaps Guatemala’s best-known and most celebrated and, as such, typically attracts higher prices than coffee from other regions. They tend to be heavier bodied, with notes of dark chocolate, brown sugar and red apple. In 2000, Antigua received a Denomination of Origin to recognise the region as distinct, and to prevent other coffees from being marketed as Antiguan.

The region surrounding Antigua Guatemala is the traditional land of the Kaqchikel people, who were once one of Guatemala’s largest Mayan kingdoms. Their ancient capital, Iximché, is located some 50km from the Antigua valley, and was considered one of the country’s most important cities before the Spanish invasion of Guatemala. The Kaqchikel are remarkable historians, and their oral and written traditions (compiled in The Annals of the Kaqchikel) have been an important resource in preserving the cultural heritage of many of Guatemala’s indigenous communities.

HOW THIS COFFEE WAS PROCESSED

Every cherry at Hacienda Carmona is selectively hand-picked and sorted before being inspected and approved by the foreman at the wet mill on site. According to Ricardo, although they are very demanding about picking practices, the majority of the seasonal workers come back year after year, which is a testament to the fair conditions and pay they receive.

 

At the mill, the fruit is pulped and fermented for 14–22 hours in tiled tanks. The beans are then washed to remove any remaining pulp and carefully dried on the patio and then on raised beds, with a greenhouse-style enclosed canopy, which features walls that can be lifted up and down to maximise airflow and control temperature and humidity. This method of drying allows Ricardo more control over the process, enabling him to ensure the coffee is dried slowly and evenly. Once dry, the coffee is rested in parchment until it is ready for export. It is then milled at Ricardo’s dry mill which is located on the farm. The management of this meticulously run mill is overseen by a talented team who carefully monitor every stage of milling to ensure high-quality expectations are met. Throughout the process, Ricardo also ensures that all organic by-products are recycled and reused.

Ricardo recently built a dedicated lab on his property and has a QC team focused on analysing every single lot produced on the farm. Balmer Aragón heads up the QC program and is in charge of all of the roasting and cupping. Each day lot is cupped and scored prior to blending and the findings are used to inform improvements in harvesting and processing.

WHY WE LOVE IT

We have been fortunate enough to have been buying and representing coffee from the Zelayas since 2008, and we feel so incredibly lucky to work with such a remarkable family and coffee.

One of our favourite moments when visiting the farm was seeing an amazing video that the staff had produced as a surprise for Ricardo and his family to show their gratitude. It was presented at their Christmas party (an annual event to which all of Santa Clara’s workers and families are invited to dance and eat lots of yummy food). You can watch here (we can’t encourage you to watch this enough—it will make you smile!).