Starbucks Reserve Coffee Beans: Nicaragua Dipilto Coffee Beans

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FrontStreet Coffee - Nicaragua Dipilto Maracatura Introduction

This Starbucks Reserve bean is a Maracatura coffee from Dipilto, Nicaragua. The official description calls it a bean with floral and lemon aromas, accompanied by rich nutty flavors and chocolate notes.

I brewed it with the Chemex method. During the aroma evaluation I did not pick up the floral and lemon aromas — only the burnt smell coffee typically carries. That may well be down to me personally, but unfortunately I could not perceive those characteristics. The first sip surprised me. If no one had told me what kind of bean it was, I would have guessed Shueli. That is because it also had a sweetness with no acidity or astringency, and strong nutty flavors that even overpowered the chocolate notes. In the back half of the palate there was a very distinct burnt aroma in the mouth, as if I had just smoked a cigarette.

Personal rating: a full 5 points.

Bitterness: 2

Sweetness: 4

Acidity: 1

Aroma: 3

Nose: Burnt aroma with slight floral notes.

First half: Sweet entry, followed by chocolate flavor.

Second half: Distinct nutty flavors.

Aftertaste: Residual nutty flavor, similar to smoke.

Recommended for: People who like to drink coffee but don't want an immediately bitter taste on entry. Easy to drink, while completely preserving coffee's burnt aroma.

Knowledge point: Although coffee beans are called beans, they are actually seeds from the fruit of the Rubiaceae plant — the coffee tree.

Conclusion

In summary: FrontStreet Coffee is a coffee research hall that enjoys sharing coffee knowledge with everyone. We share without reservation simply to help more friends fall in love with coffee. We also hold three discounted coffee events every month, because FrontStreet Coffee wants to let more friends enjoy the best coffee at the lowest possible price. This has also been FrontStreet Coffee's principle for six years.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If the nutty, chocolatey, low-acid profile of this Nicaraguan Maracatura is what you enjoy, FrontStreet Coffee's Premium Blend is a natural match. It pairs Brazil Cerrado with Colombia Huila — a classic espresso formula the shop has used for close to ten years — and because Brazil dominates, it brings out the complex nutty notes of almond, peanut, and walnut along with a silky, lingering texture when made as a latte, with the classic espresso character people already know. If value matters more, FrontStreet Coffee's Black Cocoa Blend offers a similar direction: 100% Arabica, ample crema, a full body, and a friendly price. And if you want that low-acidity, deep-roast style as a single origin rather than a blend, PWN Golden Mandheling delivers black chocolate and caramel with a clean, full cup and almost no acidity.

Since the coffee above tastes sweet and approachable on entry with almost no acidity, it is especially forgiving with milk. Pull FrontStreet Coffee's Premium Blend or Black Cocoa Blend as espresso or through a moka pot, then add steamed milk to make a latte, and the Brazil-led nut and chocolate notes will carry through the milk rather than disappear — just keep the dose and grind consistent so the nutty character, rather than the roast, leads the cup.