Wicho Valdés
We’re proud to present this washed SL28 from Wicho Valdés as part of our Prime series. It’s an exceptional coffee that we’re thrilled to have secured this year. Our excitement grew even more when we learned it was accepted into the prestigious ‘Cup of Excellence’ competition! With vibrant blackberry notes, sweet papaya, and a hint of rose hip, this refreshing coffee truly lives up to the gold on the label.
Wicho grew up helping his father on the farm and fell in love with coffee at an early age. After studying agronomy, he returned to Santa Isabel in 1998. Today, Wicho has three children who also spend their weekends and school holidays on the farm. "I hope they will find a love for coffee like I did."
The Valdés family deeply cares about the environment and has set aside nearly a third of the farm, 88 hectares, as a forest with cedar, pine, and mahogany trees that protect water resources and promote biodiversity. The remaining 200 hectares of the farm are dedicated to coffee production, with a wide range of coffee varieties planted alongside Inga trees, common in Guatemala, which provide shade and improve soil quality. Wicho also uses a systematic pruning approach that enhances ventilation and light, reducing fungal diseases like coffee leaf rust and the need for treatments.
Since late 2021, Santa Isabel has reduced the use of chemicals and non-organic materials. Wicho has established a lab on the farm to create natural solutions that make the coffee trees more resistant to diseases. Thanks to this, he no longer uses pesticides and has halved the use of fungicides. The coffee trees are now healthier, and the quality is expected to improve even further. During 2024, only 10% of the trees showed signs of coffee leaf rust, compared to 30% the previous year.
After harvesting, the coffee is pulped and fermented for up to 14 hours. It then goes through a washer to remove any remaining fruit. Next, it's graded by weight using channels and soaked in clean water for 24 hours. The beans are sun-dried for 7–10 days until they reach 30% humidity. After that, they are moved to a greenhouse for 15–30 days to finish drying on raised beds.
Origin: Cobán, Guatemala
Producer: Luis "Wicho" Valdés
Farm: Santa Isabel
Altitude: 1600 m.a.s.l
Variety: SL28
Process: Washed
Flavours: A refreshing coffee with bright blackberry flavours, sweet papaya and rose hip
This coffee is a part of our Prime series, and is the top tier of specialty coffee. These coffees are of unmatched quality and flavour and drinking them is an experience itself. Sourced only 3-4 times a year, our Prime coffees are extremely limited and highly coveted, with only around 200 bags available of each.
These coffees are often of exclusive and rare varieties and produced using modern and innovative methods. For those seeking the ultimate coffee experience, our Prime series is sure to satisfy even the most refined palates.
We have four different coffee series. From House where the flavors are more family, to Prime that offers the absolute top of special coffee quality.
House is the foundation we stand on and here we offer specialty coffee From some of the 15 producers we work closely. Everyone is among the best in the world. Each coffee in the series has its unique mix and taste profile. Thanks to the width of the series, we dare say that there is a taste for (almost) everyone. We vary origin and recipes to follow the harvest periods that vary during the year between different parts of the world. This way we make sure that the coffee is always fresh, the flavors the same and your cup really good. In this series you will find several different espresso and brew coffee. Whole beans and ground.
Flavours Is all about lifting the natural flavors in every coffee. The contents of the bag change in line with the harvest periods that vary during the year in different parts of the world. Most coffee is single Origin, but sometimes we can feel that a mixture is what is best in line with the coffee's taste profile. Flavours is perfect for those who are looking for an exceptional cup. A cup that really accentuates the unique taste and character of the coffee.
Farmers is a tribute to the skilled and dedicated producers. With most people we have long and close relationships. We buy limited quantities of specific tickets that distinguished themselves in our tastings. It may be the variety, or a specific part of the farm that really got the best in the coffee. The flavors of these coffee are often sweet and floral with hints of fruit or berries. They broaden the views about how coffee can taste. It is with pride that we highlight our producers and their fantastic crafts.
In the series Prime we offer the spearhead of specialty coffee. The quality and taste is unbeatable and it is often an experience in itself to drink one of these coffee. We release them only 3-4 times a year, making the coffee in the series extremely rare and very sought after. We only have around 200 bags at a time! These coffee is often of an exclusive variety, produced by modern and innovative methods. For those looking for the ultimate coffee experience, we dare to guarantee that the Prime series will satisfy even the most sophisticated taste preferences.
We specialize in specialty coffee, which means that all the coffee we purchase scores at least 80 points on a 100-point scale – a grading system established by the international coffee organization SCA.
We hold high standards for the producers we work with, both in terms of sustainability and quality. Both aspects demand more and come at a cost, which we gladly pay. The right price is worth every cent!
10 years or more – that's how long we have been working with several of our producers. Simply because they are the best, and we know and trust each other. When we begin new collaborations, which also happens from time to time, we do so with the intention of celebrating 10 years and beyond with them as well. Our close and longstanding relationships are built on a shared philosophy and a desire to improve the conditions for coffee farmers worldwide. Through sustainability and quality!