This is a small lot of Pacamara from their family farm, San Sebastian. It was picked, then rested in bags for several hours, then the coffee was gently dried on raised beds. A traditional natural processed coffee. This is part of a new project led by Adrian and Sebastian – the project’s aim is to create new profiles through careful varietal selection and meticulous processing. 

To learn more about the Falla’s and San Sebastian, read on!

It’s hard to imagine a much prettier place to grow coffee than on the eastern slopes of the Acatenango Volcano. Finca San Sebastian was originally planted in 1890 and is now being managed fourth generation coffee producer, Estuardo Falla – Estuardo is Sebastian’s dad. San Sebastian is a large farm, which sits at 1700m, with over 500 hectares of coffee and nearly 2000 hectares of forest, macadamia nuts, avocado and dairy cattle. 

I first came across coffee from San Sebastian in 2018, when I met Adrian. Adrian is an important leader in San Miguel Coffee. Even though San Miguel is a large mill based in the Antigua region, I have been impressed in that they are also able to operate and behave like a smaller, boutique exporter of specialty coffee.

Adrian and Sebastian have been at the forefront of San Miguel’s push for better quality coffee. They have been pushing the envelope on varietal selection for new plantings, processing methods, cupping protocols, lot separation and many other quality-centred initiatives. I’ve visited both of them many times, and besides having a great time with them, I have been able to connect with them on our vision for quality.

- Sebastian