GUATEMALA - PABLO'S FAMILY LOT

Tastes Like: Almond, Cola, Cocoa

Why I'm Obsessed: A classic medium roast Latin American coffee is a staple for a reason: balanced, sweet, and endlessly drinkable, and this one is the category at its best. It's also farm-direct in the most literal sense. Founder Brian Dwiggins has stood at beautiful Finca El Jardín in Guatemala's Fraijanes highlands, tasting the harvest alongside Pablo and Eva, the family who grows it. That connection shows up in the cup: toasted almond up front, cocoa sweetness underneath, and a bright, fizzy cola note that keeps every sip lively. To me it tastes like a chocolate ice cream soda! My recommendation: pour-over to let that cola sparkle shine, and if the heat wave rolls back in, cold brew that puppy or simply just enjoy it over ice.

If you don't know Borealis, here's the short version: Brian spent years home-roasting before taking the leap in 2016, and ten years later they're still small-batch obsessives, cupping every week and shipping each coffee fresh in its flavor sweet spot. They even serve lattes in pint glasses, a nod to Brian's Alaskan roots. That kind of nerdy care is exactly what I look for when I bring a new roaster on board. I've seen the northern lights just once, and I love how the name is so evocative of something rare, a sudden burst of unexpected, brilliant color. That's how I think about specialty coffee when it's done right. Out of the black, something wonderful emerges.

Bottom Line: You'll love Pablo's Family Lot if you love almond croissants, ice cream sodas, or a go-to morning cup that does exactly what it needs to do, and never gets boring.