Coffee production has played a fairly central role in Nicaragua's history. The South American nation began mass-producing coffee in the 1850s, and by the 1870s coffee had become a key export item. It held steady as Nicaragua’s main export commodity for over a hundred years, though faced significant setbacks during the late 1990s due to internal socio-political turmoil. Today, Nicaragua’s coffee industry has managed to bounce back. Coffee remains one of Nicaragua's primary export commodities, and the Central American nation is one of the largest coffee producers in the world.

Nicaragua doesn’t just boast quantity though; the quality of its coffee has improved significantly over the years. Thanks to the adoption of modern, precision farming and processing methods, a redoubled focus on sustainability and care for the local environment, and a heritage-minded shift towards small-scale specialty coffee production that highlights the unique characteristics of a given crop, Nicaragua has managed to elevate the reputation of its coffee on the international stage.

Buena Esperanza is a coffee farm found in the mountainous region of Matagalpa, in central Nicaragua. It forms part of the greater Rajuanse coffee estate, and is owned and operated by Ramiro Ortiz and his family who are working to this day to elevate and advance the farm and its crop. To achieve this goal, Buena Esperanza has leveraged the rich environment of the mountain valley where it is found to grow top-quality coffee, and has implemented numerous ecological conservation and environmental renewal measures, with the aid and support of the neighbouring communities. 

We’ve had several coffees from Buena Esperanza before, including one from Quaffee, and we're excited to have another one to share. We really feel that the Ortiz family consistently produces some of the best lots of Nicaraguan coffee out there. This particular lot is of the Marsellesa variety, a coveted cross between the Villa Sarchi and Timor Hybrid varieties known for its resistance to common coffee plant diseases as well as its high flavour potential. 

As mentioned, we've already had a few Buena Esperanza coffees this year, including one of this particular variety, but we've yet to try a honey-processed lot from the esteemed farm. You can read more about Buena Esperanza's specific honey process below, but the basic explanation is that it's a sort of hybrid between a natural and washed coffee. The fruit and skin of the coffee cherry are removed prior to fermenting and drying, but a layer of sticky mucilage is left on the bean. At their best, honey coffees get the best of both worlds, with clarity and acidity as well as fruity flavours and a rich body.

Phaedon's tasting notes

I've come to look forward to lots from the Rajuanse estate. They've always offered something tasty and classic which is quite refreshing in a world of funky specialty coffee flavours and wild tasting notes. Like its predecessors, this Rajuanse lot isn't loud, but it certainly is pleasant. It's smooth & buttery on the palate with some subtle nutty notes and a bit of fruity acidity. It's relatively full-bodied but not too heavy. It's just plain easy-drinking and delicious.

Quaffee’s notes

• Taste profile: A medium mouth-feel with sweet stone fruit and gentle nutty taste.
• Roast used: We soak the coffee to start, then allow a gently decreasing ramp rate during the roast into and through first crack. Development time is 50 seconds.
• Roast degree: Light
• Quaffee brews:
• Espresso: 1:2.3 (28 sec)
• AeroPress: 17g:180g
• Plunger: 46g:800g
• Pour-over/filter: 17g:300g

Coffee details from Quaffee

• Country: Nicaragua
• Region: Matagalpa
• Farm: Buena Esperanza on Rajaunse Estate
• Producer: Ramiro Ortiz
• Altitude: 1100 - 1200 masl
• Processing: Honey
• Variety: Marsellesa

Quaffee’s transparency information

• Sourced from: Zuka Green
• FOB price: (pending, Quaffee is waiting for Zuka’s permission to publish this)
• Cupping score: 84.25
• Lot size bought: 138kg
• Relationship: Quaffee has been purchasing coffee from Ramiro Ortiz (via Zuka Green) for 5 years.

“Rajuanse Estate’s Buena Esperanza coffee farm, located in a mountain valley in Matagalpa, Nicaragua, was originally a 2,818-hectare timber operation owned by an American lumber company since the 1960s. In the early 1970s, the farm began transitioning to coffee production.

“The farm spans 846 hectares, with 405 hectares currently planted with coffee. Ramiros’s master plan balances land usage, dedicating half to coffee and the other half to natural forest. They combat local climate change and preserve local fauna. 

“Rajuanse commits to reforesting. Every year, they fill gaps within the farm with local trees from their reforestation nursery, [and] Buena Esperanza holds certifications from Rainforest Alliance and Café Practice.

“[Regarding honey processing]: For their special reserves, the team picks coffee only during the morning shift. They select lots based on a good Brix reading. Both naturals and honeys follow the same protocol. Morning picking minimises field time and speeds up the drying process.

“Next, they pass the cherries through a mechanical siphon to sort out floaters, keeping only dense cherries. They then wash the cherries. Naturals go into plastic crates and head to the dry mill. Honeys get de-pulped, and the beans are placed in plastic bags to retain all mucilage. Once filled, these bags are sent to the dry mill. For honeys, only the pulp is removed, not the mucilage. Varieties influence the amount of mucilage.

“The farm calls the facility in advance to prepare for the delivery. Upon arrival, they weigh the cherries and place them on raised racks. They ensure the cherries are no more than an inch high on the racks for even drying. During the first few days, they shuffle them by hand to ensure uniform drying.

“Throughout this process, they purge each rack by removing beans with uneven characteristics. This drying process takes 14 to 18 days, depending on wind and temperature.”