Nicaragua Las Hortensias

This Nicaraguan coffee from Las Hortensias has a distinctly dessert-like character because it is itself a little dessert in a cup. On the nose, it reveals sweet notes of milk chocolate and vanilla, with a floral hint reminiscent of wild rose. Its profile evolves depending on the brewing method: in pour-over, floral aromas emerge alongside the enveloping sweet, chocolatey notes; as espresso, the fruity, syrupy notes become more pronounced. Its balance is surprising, unfolding on the palate with notes of dark chocolate, apple, dried fruit, and pear, along with bright acidity. Layers of tropical fruit sweetness are joined by notes of sweet citrus that become more pronounced as it cools, with a soft almond note on the finish.

The Nueva Segovia region lies at the northernmost end of the country, on the border with Honduras, and is characterized by high mountains that are ideal for coffee production. Here, in the community of Buenos Aires, in the municipality of Dipilto, is Finca Las Hortensias, managed by Ana María Albir, who inherited it from her father, a coffee grower for nearly 50 years. Characterized by fertile volcanic soil, lakes, and lush vegetation, Nicaragua is a small treasure trove of high-quality coffee. Nevertheless, due to political unrest and climate disasters, the country's coffee industry is highly vulnerable. For this reason, several cooperatives and associations have emerged over the past few decades to ensure workers a decent standard of living and fair access to the resources needed to grow and produce coffee. One of these organizations is Cafetos de Segovia, founded in 2014 by the Albir sisters. It connects coffee growers in Nueva Segovia with roasters around the world, supporting producers as they work to improve the quality of their coffee and their earnings. Finca Las Hortensias is divided into several lots, depending on location and altitude. This lot is called El Izote and underwent anaerobic natural processing. After being hand-picked and sorted, the cherries were fermented for 72 hours in plastic bags or barrels, then dried on African beds.