Christmas Coffee Espresso

In the Dipilto-Jalapa mountain range, north of the department of Nueva Segovia, Nicaragua, lies Finca La Esperanza, a gem surrounded by cloud forest between 1,600 and 1,800 meters above sea level. This small enclave, located east of Finca Un Regalo de Dios, has 40 acres, of which 32 are dedicated to coffee cultivation and 8 are preserved as broadleaf forest, guaranteeing agronomic management that protects and respects the environment. Varieties such as Caturra, Red Catuai, Pacamara, Maracaturra, SL34, and Bourbon grow on its land, the result of meticulous work that ranges from nursery preparation to coffee export, in a constant commitment to improving year after year.

The farm belongs to Luis Alberto Balladarez, a committed producer who has been collaborating with Right Side Coffee for over a decade. In addition to owning the farm, Luis is a parish priest and finds coffee a way to help those involved at every stage of the production chain. His focus on quality and sustainability has earned him the prestigious Cup of Excellence award in 2018 and 2020.

Right Side Coffee's relationship with Luis began in 2015, when we recognized his passion for continuous improvement and his meticulous attention to detail. From then on, we shared ideas and techniques, which he enthusiastically adopted, surprising us the following year with a table of shade-dried coffees that offered greater depth of flavor. In 2017, after an inspiring experience in Colombia, we took our collaboration at Mozonte a step further, developing innovative processes such as anaerobic and natural fermentation with water rest. These techniques marked the beginning of our own processing recipes.

One of the most notable results of this partnership is "Natural Mystic," a special batch that is part of the processes developed with Luis. In this method, the fruits are fermented underwater with specific rest periods to achieve cleaner, more defined profiles. The whole cherries are then spread out on African shade-grown beds, where they dry for approximately 25 days. This approach not only highlights the diversity of flavors that coffee can offer, but also demonstrates how different varieties and processes can lead to unique results.

Finca La Esperanza and its lots, like “Natural Mystic,” are a reflection of the shared commitment between Right Side Coffee and producers like Luis Alberto Balladarez to elevate coffee quality and explore new frontiers of flavor, all while maintaining a deep connection with the environment and the people who make each cup possible.