Nicaragua Los Ocotes

Los Ocotes is a regional lot from Beneficio Las Segovias in Ocotal, Nueva Segovia, Nicaragua, owned and operated by fourth-generation coffee producer Luis Alberto Balladárez Moncada and his wife, Esperanza, as a family enterprise. Named after the Ocote, a native pine of the region, the lot reflects the family’s commitment to quality and community: alongside coffee from their own farms, Finca La Bendición and Finca Un Regalo de Dios, the majority comes from neighboring smallholders the Balladárez family works with closely.

Grown between 1,000 and 1,700 meters above sea level across a mix of varieties, Híbridos (H1, H2, H3), Red Catuai, Marsellesa, Java, SL-34, Paraíso, and Caturra Estrella, this lot blends 95% washed and 5% honey processed coffee. The washed portion is depulped and undergoes a 36-hour anaerobic fermentation before washing, while the honey component skips fermentation entirely, moving straight from depulping to an 18-day dry on African beds and patios. The cup is approachable and sweet, with notes of caramel, red apple, and warming spice—a consistent profile that represents the best of Nueva Segovia.

At medium roast, we detect baked apple, joined by marzipan and dark caramel, while the graham cracker sweetness lingers underneath. This coffee is sturdy and reliable, leaving you reaching for another cup. Whether brewed as a batch or served as a single origin espresso, it’s excellent on its own or with milk.