In 2018, Carlos Alberto Cadena Pale established Finca XILONTLA in the lush highlands of Cosautlán de Carvajal, Veracruz. The farm spans roughly 85 hectares, with around 40 hectares planted with coffee at 1,350 meters above sea level. The land carries a quiet sense of history — the ruins of a 19th-century hacienda still remain on the property, giving the farm its name, XILONTLA.

From the very beginning, the Cadena family approached the farm with careful planning and a strong focus on soil health and sustainable agriculture. Before planting coffee, the land was restored with Tephrosia cover crops and organic bio-fertilizers, and varieties were selected for their quality potential, including Geisha.

Long-fermented and slowly dried, this XILONTLA GEISHA reveals a vibrant, juicy character in the cup. Aromatics move through a spectrum of sweet red tones — from strawberry and floral notes to red currant and pomegranate. Bright, layered, and beautifully structured.

Coffee from Finca Xilontla has been recognized multiple times in the prestigious Cup of Excellence competition, earning international recognition once again in 2024.

CUP OF EXCELLENCE is the world’s most respected international competition for coffee quality, organised by the Alliance for Coffee Excellence. For producers, participation represents the highest level of global recognition. The competition is built on a rigorous, blind tasting system, with coffees advancing through multiple international judging rounds. The finalists are presented at auction, where winning lots can achieve prices many times higher than standard market levels. Beyond prestige, Cup of Excellence offers something more tangible: real economic opportunity and the beginning of long-term partnerships between producers and buyers.