Coffee from Nicaragua

Nicaragua is home to both large, professionally run commercial plantations and small-scale producers who organize themselves into cooperatives. 

Coffee is grown in areas ranging from 600–800 meters to as high as 1,600–1,700 meters above sea level. The Arabica varieties Caturra and Catuai are widely cultivated, but you’ll also find Pacas, Pacamara, Maragogype, Maracaturra, and Geisha. Recently, varieties that are more resistant to coffee leaf rust, such as Parainema, have been planted more frequently.

Flavor notes can vary depending on coffee variety, region, altitude, and processing method, but Nicaraguan coffee is generally known for its balance, with a medium to full body and moderate acidity featuring bright citrus and apple-like notes. Aromas range from floral and fruity to mildly spicy, sometimes with hints of cocoa or almond. Coffees from higher-altitude regions such as Jinotega and Nueva Segovia tend to offer more complexity, typically with higher acidity and floral notes. A large portion of Nicaraguan coffee features balanced acidity, making it more accessible to a broader audience.

Most plantations are located in humid areas, where drying coffee poses a significant challenge. As a result, historically, you’ll find relatively few Naturals and Honey-processed coffees—washed coffees are the most common. After washing, they are quickly transported to lower-altitude regions for drying. However, Naturals and Honey-processed coffees are becoming more available, as more producers are starting to experiment with these methods.

Nicaraguan coffee cannot be generalized—there is much to discover in terms of varieties and quality. Historically, Nicaragua has sometimes been seen as a country that produces coffee which may not stand out, but serves as a solid, neutral base for blends. 

What explains this?

Maybe because the cooperatives were in a development phase for some time and first had to focus on achieving a stable quantity, and have distinguished themselves less in terms of quality?

Perhaps because many larger plantations, due to repeated economic setbacks, have had fewer opportunities in the past to invest in quality? 

This is changing quickly, with a growing number of producers positioning themselves as specialty coffee producers.

A country with tremendous potential! Where exceptional quality coffees are already being produced, and where there is great opportunity to build long-term collaborations in which producers and buyers collaborate, invest, and grow together toward ever-improving coffee. This is what Nicaraguan Specialty Coffees is all about: discovering the unique coffees that already exist and establishing collaborations that allow us, together with producers and buyers, to develop the standout coffees of the future.