Tony Medina

As we continue our extended relationship with Tony we are excited to bring you another harvest from his farm.

Finca La Colina takes its name from the elevations of the land, and the hill on which it is located. It was Antonio “Tony” Medina’s father who decided to give the farm this name and he eventually distributed it as smaller plots amongst his children.

Initially, Tony planted only basic grains like corn and beans but it was always his dream to have a coffee farm. Even at a young age, when he didn’t have anything yet, he was working on different coffee farms to learn and gain experience. In 1991 the first coffee tree was planted.

La Colina is surrounded by native forest and fresh spring water streams. Although Tony's primary income is provided by his coffee crop, only one-quarter of the farm is used to grow coffee; the remaining 75% is preserved as native oak, cypress, and pine forest, helping to protect the local ecosystem.

It sits at around 1,700 masl and sees cooler evening temperatures that slow down the growth of the coffee crop. This high pressure environment, accompanied by the shade of local “Inga” trees, produces denser coffee beans with more concentrated sugars.

This Caturra/Bourbon varietal blend is processed as a Washed coffee where the seed is removed from the cherry and washed thoroughly with local spring water before drying. It is dried in full sun, raked carefully across open patios, and turned regularly to encourage even drying. The result is a clean, crisp, and focused expression of Tony’s coffee.

We taste that classic Guatemalan sweetness that reminds us of brown butter and rich, molasses-like sugars. The cup is balanced with crisp, malic acidity like a fresh red apple, and we are left with lingering flavors of vanilla and dark chocolate.

Every year this coffee reminds us why we were drawn to it back in 2021. It is full of warming brown sugar sweetness that carries long into the finish and it has just enough acidity to balance the cup. We buy his coffee because we love it but we buy more of it because you do!

Producer → Antonio 'Tony' Medina
Farm → La Colina
Location → San Martin Jilotepeque, Chimaltenango, Guatemala
Altitude → 1,700 masl
Varieties → Bourbon & Caturra
Process → Washed