Nicaragua: Limoncillo, Red Caturra, Honey

Nicaragua: Finca Limoncillo, Ethiosar, Washed A delicate yellow plum acidity keeps this super fudgy coffee lively and unctuous with a handful of creamy pecans on the finish. The coffee we have here hails from the Matagalpa region of Nicaragua, grown and processed for us by our good friends the Mierisch family. This is one of our longest continuing producer relationships as we’ve been buying coffee from their farm Finca Limoncillo since 2007, and we foresee that continuing for many years yet. The first single origin coffee we’re releasing from this year’s harvest is a Washed Ethiosar. On The Farm All of the Mierisch Nicaraguan coffee farms are sprinkled across the Jinotega and Matagalpa regions in the north west of the country. They’re dotted up either side of the mountain range on the border of the 2 departments. When Roland travels to visit the farms, generally he’ll see Limoncillo on the same day as La Huella and Mama Mina as they’re close to each other. You start at Mama Mina first, then through La Huella, before heading on to Limoncillo, the biggest, to finish. Finca Limoncillo is a premium coffee farm and jewel of the Mierisch family nestled at 1,200 metres above sea level in the lush mountains of Matagalpa, Nicaragua. Spanning 171 hectares (109 of which are dedicated to coffee cultivation) the farm is known not only for its breathtaking landscape, with nine waterfalls crossing its terrain, but also for its role as a benchmark in Nicaraguan specialty coffee. Owned by the Mierisch family, highly respected producers known for their experimental processing, varietal work, and exceptional coffee. Limoncillo is home to a wide range of varietals, including Caturra, Red Bourbon, Pacamara, and Java. The Mierisch Family The very first of the Mierisch farms was founded in 1895 by German émigré Ernst Bruno Mierisch Boettiger. He was compensated by the Nicaraguan government for his engineering work on the construction of the pacific railroad between Masaya and Diriamba with a parcel of land - a goldmine and a farm he named “Sajonia” (the Spanish spelling of his home region back in Germany, Saxony). In 1908 he planted his first coffee tree, today Fincas Mierisch have 9 coffee farms in Nicaragua and 3 in Honduras. Over 100 years later the family business is now run by his grandson, Dr. Erwin Mierisch Buitrago (3rd generation), and great-great-grandson, Erwin “Wingo” Mierisch Jackman (5th generation). Wingo has been involved with the farms since 2017, contributing to everything from post-harvest processing, to roasting, cupping, and green coffee sales. His passion for innovation and research has led him to head development of new post-harvesting processing methods at the mill, and fine-tuning QC lab protocols to increase quality and consistency. With Wingo’s input, the team at the Don Esteban mill have heavily invested in experimentation with processing coffee. Erick Lopez is the Head Agronomist of the Mierisch farms, he started his career at entry level 22 years ago with their team working in the fields. He showed talent and commitment, so they promoted him and financed his further education to enable him to move up to his current position. He now oversees most of the practical day-to-day operation of the farms. The Fincas Mierisch team has an abundance of employees who have been with them for many years, their expertise and skill are what make the great quality of product and service they provide possible. The family employ over 3,000 staff during the harvest, and at Limoncillo over 60 families live on the farm full-time. They are seriously loved by the folks who work for them, more than any other producer we buy from, there is genuine love and respect between the family and their workers. The fact that the Mierisches are our friends helps us drill down into the details of what they do for the people who work for them. This information continues to prove to us that good people grow good coffee. Sustainable Coffee Beans The family have scores of policies and initiatives to make everything as sustainable as possible on this vast farming area: their use of chemicals is minimal, and the impact on the environment is always minimised by careful and considerate land management. In 2024, the farm completed a 15 kW hydroelectric plant, furthering its commitment to sustainability by supplying renewable energy to both operations and the 60 on-site families who live and work at the farm. Alongside its coffee-growing area, the estate also supports cattle and horses, with large swathes of preserved forest maintaining biodiversity. The Mierisch family’s focus on social responsibility is equally impressive - they provide housing, meals, childcare, education, and healthcare for workers year-round, and pay wages that exceed the local minimum by 30%. Don Esteban The Don Esteban mill, located on Finca Limoncillo, is the central processing hub for the Mierisch family’s farms in the Matagalpa region. Named in honour of the family patriarch, the mill is engineered with precision and flexibility in mind, allowing the team to adapt processing methods to suit each varietal and lot. Coffee cherries are carefully hand-picked before being depulped using state-of-the-art eco-pulpers, which significantly reduce water usage while offering control over the amount of mucilage left on the bean, crucial for precise processing. Depending on the desired outcome (washed, natural, or honey) coffees are either fermented in tiled tanks or dried slowly on covered African-style raised beds, allowing for clean, traceable expressions of origin. What is Ethiosar? We’ve been roasting Ethiosar coffee from Finca Limoncillo for several years now, and it’s a varietal with a fascinating backstory rooted in innovation and resilience. It was developed through the collaborative efforts of the Mierisch family and their cousin Ricardo, who owns a nearby farm at a much lower altitude - just 800 metres above sea level. Ricardo noticed his coffee plants were struggling. Yields were dropping, and disease pressure was increasing. He attributed this to a combination of factors: climate change, increased rainfall, and the inherent challenges of growing Nicaraguan specialty coffee at lower altitudes in the country. But amidst these challenges, one experimental plant stood out. It was thriving - producing more fruit and showing strong resistance to disease. That plant was Ethiosar. Ethiosar is a stable hybrid varietal, carefully crafted to combine the best of both worlds: exceptional cup quality and strong disease resistance. It begins with a cross between: Sudan Rume – an heirloom Ethiopian coffee variety known for its complex, floral flavours Sarchimor – a hybrid of Villa Sarchi and Timor, bred for resilience This hybrid is then crossed again with Villa Sarchi, a dwarf mutation of Bourbon from Costa Rica, prized for its sweetness and compact growth. The result? A varietal that’s not only resilient and high-yielding, but also delivers a delicious, nuanced cup profile - perfect for lovers of single origin coffee and specialty Nicaraguan coffees. Traceability Country: Nicaragua Region: Matagalpa Municipality: Yasica Norte Farm: Limoncillo Producers: The Mierisch Family Farm size: 171 hectares Coffee growing area: 109 hectares Protected Rainforest: 54 hectares Varietal: Ethiosar Process: Washed Elevation: 1,200 masl Harvest Months: October-February Diurnal Temp. Cycle: Avg High 25C, Low 17C Awards: Cup of Excellence 2008 (2nd Place) Cupping Scores Cupping Notes: Fudge, pecan, yellow plum. Cup of Excellence Cupping Scores Clean Cup: 6/8 Sweetness: 6.5/8 Acidity: 6.5/8 Mouthfeel: 6.5/8 Flavour: 6/8 Aftertaste: 6/8 Balance: 6/8 Overall: 6.5/8 Correction: +36 Total: 86/100 If you'd like to find out more about how we score coffees, make sure to read our blog post “What Do Coffee Cupping Scores Actually Mean?” and if you'd like to try cupping yourself, we've got a guide to that too! What is Coffee Cupping. Roasting Information Medium Dark - fudgy, and deliberately so. Steady through first crack, good consistent pace into the gap between the cracks, then off the heat just before second. That steadiness is where the body and the creamy pecan finish come from. The early drop is what saves the yellow plum acidity from disappearing under all that richness. Rich and lively at once, which is a harder balance than it sounds.

Costa Rica: Don Mayo Micromill - La Ladera, Catuai, Honey This dessert in a cup begins with soft, cooked down peach before finishing with a sprinkle of brown sugar. On the aftertaste is a delicate strawberry edge, rounding out this well balanced, all day coffee. Our relationship with the Bonilla Family and their Don Mayo micromill stretches all the way back to 2012, we couldn’t be prouder to still buy Costa Rican coffee from them all these years later. During that time, Don Mayo has gained a huge reputation across the world as a producer of delicious coffee, and this lot is a perfect example of the great cup quality they are famous for. A favourite for us year on year, their Honey processed Catuai. The mountain landscape provides perfect conditions for the production of high-quality specialty coffee beans. The plants thrive in rich, volcanic soils at an ideal average temperature of just under 20°C and the steep slopes providing the right balance of high altitudes for slow cherry maturation and shelter for the delicate Arabica trees. Tarrazú - Iconic For Costa Rican Coffee The Tarrazú canton sits halfway down Costa Rica, towards the western coast. Located in a stunning valley surrounded by mountains that are part of the Talamanca Sierra. It is famous for producing some of the very best coffee in the country, with coffee production being the main industry for local residents, making up a whopping 95% of the local economy. During the harvest in December, January and February, the area’s population triples with seasonal workers needed to bring in the crop. On The Farm La Ladera, located in the Tarrazú region of Costa Rica, is owned by Pablo Bonilla. The farm spans 20 hectares and is situated at an altitude of 1,850 meters, which allows different coffee varieties to thrive at various elevations. Catuai coffee plants grow well at higher elevations, while Caturra is suited to medium and lower areas. In previous years our lots from La Ladera have been a mix of Catuai and Caturra but for the last 2 harvests the varietals were separated and we have been able to buy just the higher growing Catuai crop. The farm emphasises sustainable coffee production by planting native species alongside coffee crops to maintain ecological balance. Additionally, wastewater is treated to prevent pollution, and a small hydroelectric plant is used during peak harvest. La Ladera employs a team of 120-130 pickers during the harvest season, primarily from Panama. The farm has been hiring the same core group of pickers for the last two decades, providing them with transportation and accommodation. At The Mill After harvest, the single origin coffee is processed at the Don Mayo micro mill, also owned by Pablo Bonilla. The Don Mayo micro mill is one of the oldest and most respected micro mills in the country. Established in 2003 by Hector Bonilla and his sons, the mill has been innovative in creating an economically and environmentally sustainable farm-to-mill operation under the Bonilla Family Estate. The mill processes coffee from its own farms, such as La Loma, and also buys whole cherries from local coffee farmers to sell as individual micro-lots. Don Mayo is equipped with state-of-the-art machinery and is committed to producing high-quality coffee. This commitment is demonstrated through the mill’s success in Costa Rica’s Cup of Excellence competition, having auctioned more than 35 lots through the competition and placing first in both 2009 and 2020. Environmental conservation is a key focus at Don Mayo. The mill minimises water usage due to government restrictions and uses coffee pulp and parchment as fuel for cooking and mechanical dryers, as well as fertiliser. This approach ensures that nothing goes to waste and supports sustainable coffee production. Traceability Country: Costa Rica Zone: Los Santos Province: San José Canton: Leon Cortes Farm: La Ladera Micromill: Don Mayo Producer: Pablo Bonilla Variety: Catuai Process: Honey Elevation: 1,850-1,900 m.a.s.l. Cupping Scores Tasting notes: Peach, brown sugar, strawberry. Cup of Excellence Cupping Scores Clean Cup: (1-8): 6 Sweetness: (1-8): 6.5 Acidity: (1-8): 6 Mouthfeel: (1-8): 6 Flavour: (1-8): 6.5 Aftertaste: (1-8): 6.5 Balance: (1-8): 6.5 Overall: (1-8): 6 Correction: (+36): +36 Total (max 100): 86 If you'd like to find out more about how we score coffees, make sure to read our blog post “What Do Coffee Cupping Scores Actually Mean?” and if you'd like to try cupping yourself, we've got a guide to that too! What is Coffee Cupping. Roast Information Medium - Through the gap and don't let this go too far towards second, let the simple sweetness shine.

El Salvador: Finca Argentina, Yellow Pacamara, Natural Fresh, sweet pear fills this elegant cup, but there a restrained funk from the natural process which adds a miso caramel edge to the finish and then a delicate bite of bitter orange on the aftertaste. Roland last visited El Salvador in February as the harvest at Finca Argentina was just coming to an end. The farm is at a lower altitude than other producers we work with in El Salvador, so that shifts the harvests a little earlier than San Jose or Nejapa for example. He travelled with Mauricio to visit the Los Ausoles mill to cup the various fresh lots from the farm and everybody agreed that the Yellow Pacamara was tasting terrific this year. On the table at the time the samples included a Washed and a Natural, both of which cupped very well. You can buy Natural Yellow Pacamara coffee right here. On The Farm Near the town of Turin, in El Salvador's Ahuachapán department, you'll find Finca Argentina. Set within the Cordillera de Apaneca-Ilamatepec and surrounded by natural hot springs, the farm sits at 1,300 metres above sea level. Its 35 hectares are divided into seven distinct areas, or tablons. Each of these plots has its own character, shaped by the landscape and the subtle differences in microclimate that come with changes in altitude, aspect, soil, and even local volcanic activity. Over time, the team at Finca Argentina have invested heavily in exploring different varietals, learning which perform best in each part of the farm. The Martinez Family The farm was first acquired by the Martinez family in 1967. Dr Luis Guillermo Martinez bought the estate, and it quickly became his favourite and produced well. By the time his son, Mauricio, inherited in 2008, the cherry yields had dropped significantly, and he was unsure how best to proceed with his newly owned farm. It was here that his son (and our now good friend) Alejandro stepped in. He had just relocated back to El Salvador after working as a city banker in New York and decided to lend a hand to his father’s business interests while looking for work. Ale’s interest was piqued when he saw that the farm had been classified for a Q auction in 2005, showing it had the potential for great coffee. He and his cousin based in London set about sending green coffee samples to roasters anywhere they could, seeking a specialty buyer. One of those landed with us in 2008 and we’ve been buying ever since. Mauricio and Alejandro both now live in Canada, but Mauricio still owns and oversees the farm remotely. He relies on his farm manager and the on-site team to handle day-to-day operations and to keep him up to date, while visiting El Salvador regularly to check in. The Martinez family employ 50 people during the harvest and 30 the rest of the year. Mauricio's daughter Beatrix, who hadn't previously been involved in coffee, is also now stepping in to help with the family business. Processing of the coffee is carried out at the Los Ausoles dry mill, a cooperative facility in Ahuachapán. They have a very good relationship with Mauricio and have shown great consistency and reliability for us as buyers. Highly Skilled Workers Throughout the growing season at Finca Argentina, individual workers are given a lot of responsibility over pruning and managing trees. On many farms, pruning would be quite regimented (for example, every other tree gets a skeleton prune in this section), whereas Finca Argentina are leaving these decisions much more up to the knowledge of the staff, deciding on a plant-by-plant basis what kind of pruning is needed when they work through an area. It is easy to ruin coffee production on trees if you don’t make the right pruning choices, so this shows a lot of trust and is only possible when they retain and develop their workers’ skills long term. El Salvador has been hit hard by the wider labour shortage impacting other Central American countries. Luckily Finca Argentina are currently managing well, but they are having to consider more ways to retain necessary numbers of staff during harvest season. The Martinez family employ 50 people during the harvest and 30 the rest of the year. They contribute labour and materials to improve infrastructure in their community’s towns, and grow 25 kg of corn annually for each person. They’re also implementing more ecological management: using compost and other organic products to minimise environmental impact, and intercropping beans to enrich the soil. Their work has improved the land’s biodiversity and cup quality, and the future for sustainable coffee from Finca Argentina is looking very bright. What Is Yellow Pacamara? The Yellow Pacamara coffee trees are mostly planted in the upper sections of the Finca Argentina, in the San Jorge tablon and upper parts of the adjacent tablons. The San Jorge tablon has been planted exclusively with Yellow Pacamara since 2018. The seeds for the Pacamara plants growing here were sourced from the Mierisch family in Nicaragua. You may well have previously enjoyed a Limoncillo Yellow Pacamara roasted by us. These plants are cousins! The varietal has been performing very well on the farm in El Salvador. The team at Finca Argentina love it for its productivity and hardiness, which fascinatingly are not qualities you would expect from this varietal when grown back in Nicaragua. The varietal originated from a cross between Pacas and Maragogipe. Its initial selections were made by the Nicaraguan Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA) in 1976 but were never completed following the Sandinista revolution. Further selections were later made by private producers in Central America, but the variety has never been stabilized, meaning that the plant's genetics are not stable from generation to generation. It is grown primarily in El Salvador, where it often dominates Cup of Excellence competitions for its high cup quality. Check out our Varietal Guide for more information on Yellow Pacamara here: Coffee Varietal Guide: Pacamara Traceability Country: El Salvador Department: Ahuachapán Municipality: Ahuachapán Nearest Town: Turín Mountain Range: Cordillera de Apaneca-Ilamatepec Farm: Finca Argentina Producer: The Martinez Family Dry Mill: Los Ausoles Elevation: 1,300 m.a.s.l Variety: Yellow Pacamara Processing Method: Natural GPS: 13°56'29.4"N 89°47'04.1"W Cupping Scores Cupping Notes: Pear, Miso Caramel, Bitter Orange. Cup of Excellence Cupping Scores Clean Cup: 7/8 Sweetness: 6.5/8 Acidity: 6/8 Mouthfeel: 6/8 Flavour: 6.5/8 Aftertaste: 6/8 Balance: 6.5/8 Overall: 6.5/8 Correction: +36 Total: 87/100 If you'd like to find out more about how we score coffees, make sure to read our blog post “What Do Coffee Cupping Scores Actually Mean?” and if you'd like to try cupping yourself, we've got a guide to that too! What is Coffee Cupping. Roasting Information Medium - Through the gap and let this develop a little, paying close attention to the heat and dropping well before second crack.

A dry fermented washed Bolivian coffee from Los Rodriguez at Finca El Arcangel. Lime cordial, raspberry, and milk chocolate notes make it bright, creamy, and balanced.