Monja Blanca comes to us from a variety of smallholder farmers off the shores of Lake Atitlán, in Guatemala. These producers grow Bourbon, Caturra, Villa Sarchi, Typica, and Catuai. Monja Blanca, named after Guatemala’s national flower, is a reliable SHB coffee that consistently cups in the 85 range. The coffees produced in this area are grown on the slopes of the volcanoes surrounding the lake, between 1550-1650 masl. Their proximity to the water creates hot, dry days and cool nights, which slow cellular respiration and improve sugar and acidity development in the beans. This makes for a high acidity, married with a sweet and balanced cup with medium body.

We currently source this blend from two long-term suppliers. The first is Juan Francisco Pira, owner of Granos del Sur and Beneficio Santiago La Laguna, where the cherry for this Atlas Profile is wet-processed. Juan Francisco opened his milling operations in 1998 and selects the coffees that will make up the blend. As each producer brings their coffee to the mill for processing, the mill classifies it by cherry ripeness, elevation, and Brix level. Any producer whose coffee qualifies for the blend receives a premium, which is an economic incentive for them to continue selling their cherry to this mill year after year.

The second is Renardo Ovalle of Vides 58. Renardo works with a group of smallholder farmers from the small lakeside communities of Santa Clara La Laguna, San Pablo, and San Juan. Currently, approximately 250 producers contribute to this blend, and one quarter of those are women. In this area, farmers are primarily growing Typica and Bourbon, and all drying takes place on patios under the sun. Renardo has given training and instructions to producers to select only the ripest cherries for processing at a wet mill in San Juan. Monja Blanca is an excellent choice for those seeking a high-quality blender or single-origin option from the Atitlán region.