LAST SPLASH

WASHED LOTS:
Last Splash always features washed processed coffees. These are lots in which the fruit and sticky mucilage layers of the coffee cherry are removed after being picked fresh. It is a multi-stage process involving floating cherries in water and then using a de-pulper, which might happen directly at the farm or at larger washing stations. Following a final washing stage, the cherry seeds are dried on patios or raised beds.

While experimental processes are increasingly ubiquitous in specialty coffee circles, I want to always have a washed process on our menu. It is partially because on most mornings, I crave their brilliant clarity and vibrancy.  But also because they can offer a level of complexity and delicate body that will always having you reaching for the cup's last splash. 

You might wonder, why do I love washed lots? Well to draw upon The Breeder’s lyrics, it is pretty simple: “we have come for light, wholly, we have come for light, it's true”.

ORIGIN:

I first heard about Mataquescuintla from Drew at Bows. It's a town of 30,000 in Southern Guatemala, surrounded by rich agricultural lands, which include a wealth of coffee farms. As LA Times' Kate Linthucum outlines, "Controversy came to her community in 2010 when a Canadian mining company called Tahoe Resources bought El Escobal silver deposit for more than half a billion dollars". The mine is in San Rafael las Flores, just a few short kilometres from Mataquescuintla.

Tahoe worked quickly to acquire a mining license from the government with aims of extracting what is believed to be one of the world's largest caches of silver. I stress speed here because they did little environmental or community outreach despite the huge threat an active mine presents to a community who relies on agriculture for their livelihood. Understandably, protests grew fueled by referendum result that demonstrated that an overwhelming 98% of locals did not support the mine. In 2013, Minera San Rafael (Tahoe’s Guatemalan subsidiary) was granted a 25-year exploitation license

Over the next year, peaceful protests came under attack in several incidents including the mine's private security force shooting and injuring seven people. As Linthucum reports, "Guatemala's then-president, Otto Perez Molina, moved to quell the instability that mine officials complained was disrupting their business" and "citing the threat of terrorism and criminal groups, Perez declared a 'state of siege' in the communities near the mine, deploying thousands of troops and temporarily suspending constitutional rights in the region". Many locals connected to the areas coffee production were arrested.

In the year's since the mine's license was suspended due to the lack of consultation with indigenous groups, including the Xinca people. Tahoe was also purchased by Canadian based Pan American Silver, which meant a change in corporate leadership. However, even with the temporary halt in operations, the impact of the mine and the resulting government oppression have been devastating to the region.

Cafe Colis Resistencia is the name created by Alex Reynoso to identify coffee producing members of the the Indigenous Xinca community around Mataquescuintla. They continue to seek an international market for their coffee and to finally receive fair prices for their work. As member Don Rodriguez states, "we believe that legally we will have to come out victorious in this but as we know there always exists the power of force that the large business owners have here in Guatemala". He continues, we "ask that you give us a hand in going against what this mine is doing to our environment and the natural resources and all the laws they are breaking:.

I am very happy to again join Semilla in supporting these farmers and their crucially important and peaceful resistance. For more information, please read Luis Solano's "Under Siege: Peaceful Resistance to Tahoe Resources and Militarization in Guatemala" and Brendan Adam's "Cafe Colis Resistencia".

At 26 years old, Jorge has spent his entire life working in coffee. He inherited his farm, which was replanted 13 years ago with mixed varieties when the focus was solely on maximizing production to sell to intermediaries in the region. In 2024, Jorge successfully exported his coffee for the first time, sending a small lot of 20 quintals of parchment coffee. The experience was entirely new and brought him a significantly better profit margin than selling locally. New to the Quietly menu, we are in love with Jorge’s incredible coffee! 

FLAVOUR:
Mataquescuintla lots have a special place on our menu given the producers but also the incredible flavour profiles! Jorge’s coffee is extraordinarily balanced balanced with tons of sticky cherry and grape notes that give way to a long and sweet honeyed finish.