Nikaragua - Los Papales

Best suited for espresso, works well in both traditional and automatic espresso machines, as well as for home brewing.

The López family has been growing coffee in the Jinotega region for more than a hundred years. The founder, Vicente López López, a Nicaraguan of Spanish origin, was the first to plant coffee in the mountainous Datanlí area. The tradition was carried on by their son, Vicente López Herrera, who built the Betania farm – which was confiscated in the 1980s during the Nicaraguan conflict. Today, the family farms two estates: Los Papales and Betania, named after the original farm.

Los Papales lies 5 km from the town of Jinotega on the slopes of Cerro Chimborazo, one of the highest peaks of the Cordillera Isabelia range (1,688 m a.s.l.). The 210-hectare farm employs around 120 people year‍-‍round, and up to 450 during harvest, mostly from nearby communities.

The family also supports the region’s social infrastructure in the long term. Right on the farm, there is a school for around 65 children, from early childhood up to sixth grade, providing free education, school supplies, and daily meals. The school is run under the Nicaraguan Ministry of Education. The estate also includes a health clinic overseen by the Ministry of Health, offering free consultations to both employees and local residents. Los Papales is certified by the Rainforest Alliance.

1. Harvesting and sorting Cherries are hand‍-‍picked, with 94% required to be fully ripe. After harvesting, the cherries pass through a sorting unit – in a water bath they are separated by density, which helps remove underripe and defective fruit before drying.

2. Drying The cherries are dried whole with the skin and pulp intact on raised African beds. The process takes about 30 days. Slow, even drying contributes to a clean cup profile and overall stability.

3. Resting After drying, the coffee rests for at least 21 days before further processing. This step helps stabilize moisture and the final flavor.

The natural method means the flavor profile develops in direct contact with the cherry pulp throughout the entire drying period. This is where the pronounced fruitiness and fuller body come from.

Red Pacamara is a Nicaraguan hybrid variety created by crossing Pacas and Maragogype. It produces larger cherries, and coffees made from it are typically fuller, creamy, and complex. On espresso, Red Pacamara shows a distinctive sweetness and pronounced body plum notes naturally intertwine with dark chocolate, with a fresh pomelo‍-‍like citrus finish.