Nicaragua, El Encanto | Washed

FARM/LOT NAME: Finca El Encanto
ORIGIN : Mozonte, Nicaragua
PRODUCER : Favio Guillen Raudales
VARIETAL : Parainema
PROCESS : Washed Process
ELEVATION : 1200M
TASTING NOTES : Dried Berries, Dark Chocolate, Orange, Lemonade

Mozonte, a municipality in Nueva Segovia, Nicaragua, looks and feels different than most of Central America. Bordering Honduras to the north, these highlands are relatively cool, richly lined with conifers, reminding one of the Pacific Northwest. It is here that Favio Guillen Raudales owns his 112 hectare farm, 21 of which are devoted to producing Caturra and Catuaí varietal coffees.

Finca El Encanto (so named by Favio during our recent visit to his farm) is a shining example of the great potential of this region, and of coffee from Nicaragua in general. With the help of about 20 pickers, Favio selects optimally ripe cherries, pulps the skin off, and then ferments, washes, and soaks the coffee. After about 3-4 days on raised drying beds, the coffee is transferred to the warmer capital of Nueva Segovia, Ocotal, to complete the drying. El Encanto will indeed enchant you with its nougaty body, flavors of mixed berry, and nice floral in its long finish.