Guatemala Antigua La Flor Coffee Roast Profile

If you’ve ever opened a bag of aged green coffee and been hit by mustiness—or worse—you’ll know how crucial storage is. But what does a well-kept, year-old coffee actually smell and taste like? This Guatemalan Antigua lot, labeled 'La Flor,' offers a rare example: stored properly, it arrives with a bright, clean fragrance and no off-notes, despite being roasted over a year after harvest.

For this Guatemala Antigua La Flor, FrontStreet Coffee recommends ending the roast 1 minute into the first crack’s decline—roughly 12 minutes total—to preserve its floral and citrus character.

What Is Guatemala Antigua La Flor?

This single-origin coffee comes from the Antigua region of Guatemala, produced by the Las Pastores beneficio processing facility. The coffee is marketed under the name 'La Flor del Café'—The Flower of Coffee—a name that reflects its aromatic profile. Visually, the beans show clear Bourbon variety traits, with mostly even, high-density appearance and only minimal presence of small peaberries. Defects are nearly absent, making this a very clean lot.

Growing, Processing & Harvest Details

The coffee was harvested in March 2009 and processed using a washed method, followed by a unique hybrid drying approach: initial sun drying, then low-temperature finishing. This two-phase drying helps develop sweetness while managing acidity. The variety is predominantly Bourbon, grown at high altitude—consistent with SHB (Strictly Hard Bean) classification—and processed at the Las Pastores mill.

Roast Approach & Development Time

FrontStreet Coffee specifies a relatively light roast for this lot. The recommended roast ends 1 minute into the first crack’s decline, with a total roast time around 12 minutes. This timing helps retain the delicate floral and citrus attributes while developing enough body and sweetness to balance the cup. Such a profile is ideal for pour-over or light espresso applications where clarity and nuance matter.

Cupping Notes & Flavour Profile

Based on cupping data provided by FrontStreet’s partner, the coffee shows a complex and layered profile:

• Dry Aroma: Floral, clean alpine fir, tea, melon, almond, herbal notes, vanilla, and lemon.
• Wet Aroma: High-altitude cedar, caramel, tropical fruit, stone fruit, hazelnut chocolate, oolong tea, California plum, lemon balm, honey, and almond.
• Cup Profile: Creamy mouthfeel, clear tea-like brightness, sweet grapefruit, red wine acidity, nuanced berry and nut chocolate tones. The acidity is delicate and layered, with lingering floral notes. The finish includes chocolate and nut sweetness alongside fruity acidity, all supported by a persistent, smooth crema-like mouthfeel.

Why This Roast Timing Works

By ending the roast during the first crack’s tail and avoiding heavy development, the roaster preserves the inherent qualities of the Bourbon variety and the washed-hybrid process. The 1-minute post-first-crack window is enough to build structure without muting the acidity or floral top notes. This is a classic light-to-medium roast strategy for single-origin coffees meant to shine in filtered brewing methods.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Guatemala Antigua La Flor coffee?

Guatemala Antigua La Flor is a single-origin coffee from the Antigua region of Guatemala, produced by the Las Pastores mill. It is primarily Bourbon variety, processed via washed and semi-sun-dried methods, classified as SHB (Strictly Hard Bean). The coffee is known for its floral aroma and citrusy sweetness.

How should Guatemala Antigua La Flor be roasted?

FrontStreet Coffee recommends roasting it lightly, ending the roast about 1 minute into the first crack's decline, for a total roast time of around 12 minutes. This preserves its floral, tea-like, and citrus characteristics.

What does La Flor mean in the coffee’s name?

'La Flor' translates to 'The Flower' in English, referring to the coffee’s prominent floral aroma, which is a defining trait of this particular lot from Antigua.

When was the coffee harvested?

The coffee was harvested in March 2009. Despite being a year old, the green beans were well stored, showing no stale or unpleasant odors and very few defects.

What processing method was used for La Flor?

The coffee was processed using a washed method followed by a hybrid drying technique—initial sun drying followed by low-temperature finishing—which enhances both sweetness and clarity.

What is the bean defect level in this lot?

The defect level is almost zero, with only occasional small peaberries visible. The lot is very clean and sorted.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans with Floral & Citrus Profiles

If you enjoy the floral and citrus notes of Guatemala Antigua La Flor, try FrontStreet’s Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Gedeb for bright lemon, berry, and green tea flavors with a sweet, juicy body. For a more tropical twist, the Kenya Little Tomato offers vivid tomato, plum, and blackcurrant acidity with juicy sweetness. Both are light-roasted to showcase origin character, much like La Flor. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.