Roasting March 28th ONLY (8oz Bags)

White Label Nicaragua Junieth Leiva de Soppexcca 

Tasting Notes: Cinnamon, candy apple; mousse-like mouthfeel, sparkling acidity

Suggested Brewing Method:  French Press, Drip, Moka Pot

As spring makes a welcomed return, the time feels right for our White Label coffees to follow suit. We are excited to kick off the 2023 program by offering coffees featured in local auctions of small lots from independent growers in Latin America.

The first of these three auction coffees comes to us from Junieth Leiva’s farm in the Jinotega district of Nicaragua. Her entry placed in the top 5 of the Super Mujeres private auction held by the Alliance for Coffee Excellence highlighting stellar work by women coffee producers in the country. As a natural or “dry” processed coffee, this lot presents some unique flavors not typically found in the washed coffees often associated with Nicaragua.

Junieth’s farm is part of the Soppexcca cooperative that helps its small farmer members pool resources to access better post-harvest production methods and better prices. The coop also provides guidance in using natural and sustainable cultivation practices to promote biodiversity and combat erosion and deforestation. Throughout the country, cooperatives like Soppexcca have helped Nicaragua’s coffee farmers recover from past political upheaval and the climactic events that devastated the trade in the 1990s.

Junieth herself became interested in sustainable coffee cultivation early in life through the educational efforts of Soppexcca, and further deepened her knowledge studying agriculture at university. The coffee from her farm is selectively hand-picked and submerged in water tanks to remove floaters and sub-par cherries before spending 30-40 days in a tunnel drying system that keeps the coffee in constant motion to ensure even drying and fermentation. When the ideal 20% moisture content is reached, the dried cherries are sent to the local dry mill run by the Soppexcca cooperative to be hulled, polished, and rested again before export.

The solid, balanced structure of this coffee reflects the care taken in its preparation and allows it to shine equally in all phases of the cup—body, acidity, and aroma. It states its presence immediately and never fades through the finish. Flavors of cinnamon, candy apple, and graham cracker are carried on a silky chocolate mousse texture brightened by sparkly pineapple-like acidity, culminating in notes of blackberry and sweet plum.

Junieth Leiva de Soppexcca is a unique coffee with an equally compelling story and provenance. Orders will be limited to supply on hand. We sincerely hope you enjoy the first in our series of auction participant coffees.

Variety:  Caturra

Region:  Jinotega

Farm:  Escambray

Elevation:  2,800 to 3,300 ft

Process:  natural