Nicaragua La Andria Estate Natural Process Maracaturra Coffee Special Report

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Nicaragua La Andria Estate Maracaturra Natural Process

Grade: SHG

Region: Monzonte, Nueva Segovia

Estate: Finca La Andria

Variety: Maracaturra

Processing Method: Natural Process

Soil: Sandy soil

Flavor: Citrus, brown sugar, banana, floral notes

Nicaraguan coffee seems to have been forgotten in the world in recent years, as Nicaraguan coffee is rarely seen. In fact, Nicaragua's growing conditions are no less favorable than those of Central American countries, and the coffee produced is characterized by its balanced flavor profile.

Nicaraguan Coffee Growing Regions

Nicaragua is located in the central region of Central America, bordering Honduras to the north, Costa Rica to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. With a total area of 130,400 square kilometers, it is the largest country in Central America. The north-central part of Nicaragua consists of highlands; the eastern part is a coastal plain with dense jungle swamps and low, flat terrain; the western part consists of coastal lowlands with many volcanoes and lakes to the east.

Nicaragua is mainly divided into four major coffee growing regions: Nueva Segovias, Matagalpa/Jinotega, Boaco, and the Pacific Coast region.

The Nueva Segovia region has the highest growing altitude, ranging from 1,450 to 2,100 meters, producing the highest grade S.H.B. (Strictly Hard Beans) coffee.

Nueva Segovia is located in the northern region of Nicaragua, bordering Honduras, Madriz, and Jinotega.

Nueva Segovia coffee consistently stands out among tens of thousands of competitors in international cupping competitions (Cup of Excellence) and is renowned as the premier coffee growing region in Central America's Nicaragua. The Nueva Segovia region has an average altitude exceeding 1,450 meters, with year-round cool and humid conditions, significant temperature differences between morning and evening, and frequent cloud cover, which brings out the unique aroma of high-altitude coffee.

Nicaragua's growing conditions feature fertile volcanic soil, and the local climate is characterized by a highland terrain with year-round dense fog covering the entire mountain forest, creating a low-temperature and humid climate environment. Years of tree species crossbreeding evolution combined with adherence to ancient, time-consuming processing processes preserve the natural fruit acidity and rich aroma. The use of shade-grown cultivation ensures even sunlight exposure, allowing coffee cherries to grow slowly while indirectly absorbing moisture from the dense fog. Therefore, the flavor profile of Nicaraguan coffee beans is lively and diverse. Such excellent coffee growing conditions result in coffee with subtle acidity and smooth characteristics. When savored carefully, one can feel faint notes of fruit and chocolate sweetness releasing in the throat, with rich body and multi-layered aftertaste.

Coffee Varieties

Maracaturra

Maracaturra is a hybrid variety resulting from crossing Caturra, known for its productivity and balanced flavor, with Maragogipe (also known as "Elephant Bean"), renowned for its high-quality coffee. It combines the full body of the former with the sweet flavor of the latter. This variety is commonly found in the coffee growing regions of Nicaragua and El Salvador.

Besides their eye-catching bean shape, Maracaturra coffee beans also possess an unforgettable complex flavor profile.

However, the cultivation of this coffee variety is not extensive, as few growers choose to plant it, making it relatively rare in the market. The reasons are: this variety is a delicate and fragile plant that is susceptible to leaf rust disease, so there are considerable risks during the cultivation process, requiring growers to invest more time and resources to control the occurrence of leaf rust. Moreover, compared to other common varieties, its productivity is also lower. This means that Maracaturra trees do not produce many coffee cherries each season, which also poses an economic challenge for growers.

FrontStreet Coffee's Roasting Profile and Cupping Information

Agtron bean color value: 67.5 (above image), Agtron ground color value: 72.5 (below image), Roast Delta value: 5.

Cupping flavors: Citrus, floral notes, almond, tea-like sensation

Brewing Guide

Recommended brewing method: Pour over

1. Dripper: Hario V60

2. Grind size: Medium-fine

3. Water temperature: 90°C

4. Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15

5. Brewing technique:分段式萃取 (Segmented extraction)

Use 30g of water for bloom for 30 seconds, then pour with a small stream in circular motions in the center until reaching 124g and stop pouring. Wait for the water level to drop until it's about to expose the coffee bed, then continue pouring to 226g. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, remove the dripper. (Timing starts from the bloom) Total extraction time is two minutes.

Flavor: Obvious sweetness on entry, citrus notes in the middle, rich floral aromas, red fruit in the aftertaste, banana and brown sugar in the finish, with some nutty cream aroma. Overall balanced with soft acidity, full aroma, and substantial aftertaste.