Guatemalan Natural SL28 from Fanjuzhong Plain Estate

When you’re hunting for unique flavor complexity in specialty coffee, the choice of both variety and processing method makes all the difference. For coffee lovers seeking something beyond the typical Ethiopian or Kenyan offerings, a rare Guatemalan SL28 processed as a natural with winey characteristics offers a compelling alternative—one that highlights tropical depth, dried stone fruits, and a surprising spice note.

The key to this standout cup? A custom micro-lot of SL28 grown at over 1,600 meters in Guatemala’s remote Nuevo Oriente region and processed as a winey natural—developed in close partnership with the farm to hit exacting flavor and quality targets.

Where Is the Fanjuzhong Plain Estate?

The Fanjuzhong Plain Estate sits in Guatemala’s Nuevo Oriente region, the country’s far eastern zone bordering Honduras. Unlike the well-connected Antigua region, just an hour from Guatemala City, Nuevo Oriente requires a full drive to the nation’s eastern frontier. This isolation fosters unique growing conditions and makes specialty collaborations like this SL28 micro-lot more meaningful—and more rare.

Why This SL28 Natural Was Developed

This lot represents a custom collaboration between FrontStreet Coffee and the estate owner: a tailored micro-batch produced to achieve specific goals in aroma, sweetness, and structure. Such partnerships guarantee farmers fair pricing and shared vision, encouraging innovation like experimenting with the uncommon SL28 variety and winey natural processing.

For this lot, the team worked directly on-site to refine harvest standards and the natural drying method—including turning frequency and drying duration—to shape the profile. The result is a coffee that delivers an unexpectedly rich and expressive cup.

Flavor Profile: What Makes This Natural Stand Out

This winey natural SL28 exhibits a vibrant mix of tropical and dried fruit flavors: pineapple, cantaloupe, dried apricot, candied lemon peel, Bordeaux wine, green tea, and cinnamon spices. Underlying these bright notes is a full-bodied richness with smoky black plum aromatics and a prominent sweet finish. The cup balances fruit intensity with notable depth, making it ideal for pour-over or immersion brewing.

About the SL28 Variety

The SL28 used in this Guatemalan lot is a rare sight in Central America. Originally discovered near Lake Tanganyika in East Africa in 1931, it was later named by the Scottish Laboratory (SL) in 1935 as part of a numbered selection series (No. 28). The tree is known for its broad, slightly reddish leaves, high-altitude tolerance, and strong resistance to drought and disease. It typically yields more than traditional varieties while producing complex, high-quality cups.

Bred from a mix of French Mission, Mocha, and Yemeni Typica genetics, SL28 was created to combine yield potential with pest resistance and outstanding cup quality. Though yields were lower than hoped, the variety became famous in Kenya for its distinctive citrus and black plum notes, balanced acidity, and dynamic sweetness. In this Guatemalan iteration, grown at elevation in Nuevo Oriente, those hallmark traits shine through in a wine-inflected natural process.

The Role of Natural Processing

Natural processing—also called dry processing—is one of the oldest methods of preparing coffee. In this method, ripe coffee cherries are spread out in the sun to dry intact, with the fruit and mucilage remaining on the seed until the target moisture level is reached. This technique often enhances body and amplifies fruit-forward flavors. For this lot, careful management of turning and drying (over several days) helped craft its signature winey and spicy complexity.

At FrontStreet Coffee, we’ve worked with other naturals such as our Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Red Cherry and Colombian Sidra lots. Each shows how natural processing can draw out fermentation-like sweetness and layered fruit tones, much like what’s achieved in this Guatemalan SL28.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Fanjuzhong Plain Estate and where is it located?

The Fanjuzhong Plain Estate is a coffee farm in Guatemala’s remote Nuevo Oriente region, bordering Honduras. It’s located far east of the more accessible Antigua region, requiring a long drive to reach—making it a less common but uniquely positioned origin for specialty micro-lots.

What is special about the SL28 coffee variety?

SL28 is a rare coffee variety originating from East Africa, developed in the 1930s for high altitudes, drought resistance, and complex cup quality. It’s known for its large, copper-colored leaves and distinctive fruity, citrusy, and winey flavor attributes, especially prominent in high-elevation lots like this Guatemalan natural.

How is the winey natural process different from regular natural processing?

Winey natural processing refers to a natural (dry) method that emphasizes flavor development akin to wine—typically through careful fruit drying that boosts sweet, fermented-like notes. In this case, it involved managed turning and extended drying to enhance tropical fruit and spice complexity in the SL28 beans.

Why is this SL28 lot considered a micro-batch?

This is a custom-produced micro-batch created through a direct partnership between the estate and FrontStreet Coffee. The lot was grown and processed to exact specifications for flavor, with controlled harvest and drying practices, making it a limited, high-focus production—not a standard commercial offering.

What does this coffee taste like compared to other naturals?

This SL28 natural features a winey, fruit-forward profile with pineapple, cantaloupe, dried apricot, and Bordeaux wine notes, along with green tea and cinnamon spice. Compared to brighter Ethiopians or earthier Colombians, it offers a richer sweetness with a smoky depth and distinct citrus-spice balance.

Recommended FrontStreet Coffee Beans with Natural Processing

Try FrontStreet’s Yirgacheffe Red Cherry Natural for vibrant tropical fruit and berry notes, or their Colombian Sidra for a layered tropical and candy-like profile with winey undertones—all showcasing the expressive potential of natural processing. For something from a different origin but with similar body and sweetness, the Brazil Queen Manor offers caramelized sugar, chocolate, and nutty balance. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.