San Martín Jilotepeque lies in Guatemala’s Chimaltenango highlands, within a landscape shaped by volcanic soils and the farming traditions of Kaqchikel Maya communities. At 1,750–1,900 metres, La Merced experiences cool conditions that slow ripening and concentrate sweetness. The area sits beyond Guatemala’s most familiar coffee names, yet shares the elevation and mineral-rich soils that have made the country’s central highlands so distinctive.
Finca La Merced carries close to two centuries of family history. Francisco Alburez purchased the property in 1832, and coffee was later introduced by his grandson, Carlos Ortega Alburez, who took over the farm at just 16 years old. The estate has remained with the family ever since, passing through generations who have continued to cultivate its high slopes in San Martín Jilotepeque.
For this lot, ripe Bourbon cherries are selected by hand and floated to remove lighter fruit. They are then dried whole on raised beds for 20–25 days, with regular turning to keep the process even and controlled. Leaving the fruit around the seed throughout drying builds a deeper expression of the variety, bringing ripe plum and strawberry sweetness into balance with La Merced’s dark chocolate depth.
