Martha Alvir

We’re super excited to present two coffees of the same varietal, grown on neighbouring farms, processed two different ways and named after the sisters who grow them. Ana is the washed, and tasting it alongside Martha, the natural, is a great way to explore the difference processing makes. Both farms sit in northern Nicaragua near the Honduran border, where altitude, a cool climate and volcanic soil produce the country’s finest coffee. Ana and Martha left in the 70s, returning after inheriting their father’s farms in 2013 to open a mill and export business, with 7 staff and 60 more at harvest. Finca Las Hortensias has been in the Alvir family for over fifty years, and Ana runs it on agroforestry principles, with coffee shaded by forest, banana and fruit trees. Maracaturra, a Maragogype × Caturra cross, pairs Maragogype’s quality with better yield and rust resistance.

Another beautiful washed coffee exported for us by our friends Laura and William at Minga Coffee, Huila. The coffee itself was grown and processed by Silvia Rojas and her husband Guillermo. Together they have 4 hectares of farmland where they grow both coffee and dragonfruit as cash crops. On the coffee side they work with Castillo and Pacamara varietals. The Pacamara is relatively new for them, after Silvia noticed her brother-in-law had some seeds lying around. They had been a gift he had never utilised. Curious about them, she started a nursery and planted them at the highest point of the farm. After 5 years the trees were fully grown, and Silvia and Guillermo were happy to discover the cup quality of this varietal compared to the Castillo. But another difference in the two varietals soon became apparent, and it was less exciting: the saplings had been planted as they would plant the Castillo, but Pacamara needs a lot more space. The densely packed trees mean some branches are impossible to harvest, so the couple have made the decision to remove some of the trees. This will improve pickers' access to the trees, and the trees' access to sunlight and airflow.

A washed Pink Bourbon blend from Huila, Colombia, assembled by Minga Coffee to represent the variety through clean, traditional processing. Dragon fruit, marzipan and floral notes make it bright, sweet and expressive.

A washed Peruvian coffee from the remote village of Lauca in Masma, Junin, grown by Samuel Munoz and Raul Ames with cacao, blackcurrant yoghurt, and Parma violet character.