Nicaragua: Limoncillo, Ethiosar, Pulped Natural

Finca Limoncillo is located in Matagalpa and, at 171 hectares in size, it. is. huge! Situated at an amazing location, it boasts nine waterfalls within the farm and is owned by the Mierisch family; they’re good friends, and also well-respected producers in Nicaragua. They’re known for their experimental processing, varietal work, and exceptional coffee.

So what's this Ethiosar varietal, I hear you ask? Well, we've been roasting Ethiosar from Limoncillo for quite a few years now, and it comes from the hard work of the Mierisch family and their cousin Ricardo. He owns a farm near to Limoncillo, but at a much lower altitude of 800 metres above sea level. Ricardo noticed that his yield and his plants were suffering and that they seemed to be becoming more susceptible to disease. He put this down to growing issues in Nicaragua, a change in climate, increased rains and his low altitude. But from experiments he was running on the farm, he noticed that this newly-spliced varietal he had put together was thriving. It was fruiting much more than the other plants and was not suffering.

The varietal, Ethiosar, is a stable hybrid plant. It's a cross of an Ethiopian variety (Sudan Rume) with a Sarchimor (a cross of a Villa Sarchi with a Timor variety). The offspring of this plant is then crossed once again with a Villa Sarchi, which is an improved Caturra / Bourbon from Costa Rica.

This balanced cup has plenty of butterscotch sweetness and a sprinkle of roasted hazelnuts, with just a little shoulder of white grape coming in on the finish.

• Country: Nicaragua
• Municipality: Yasica Norte
• Region: Matagalpa
• Farm name: Limoncillo
• Producers: The Mierisch Family
• Farm size: 171 hectares
• Coffee growing area: 109 hectares
• Elevation: 1,200 m.a.s.l.
• Varietal: Ethiosar
• Processing system: Pulped Natural

Tasting notes: Butterscotch, roasted hazelnut, white grape.

Cup of Excellence Cupping Scores

• Clean cup: (1–8): 6
• Sweetness: (1–8): 6.5
• Acidity: (1–8): 6
• Mouthfeel: (1–8): 6.5
• Flavour: (1–8): 6.5
• Aftertaste: (1–8): 6
• Balance: (1–8): 6.5
• Overall: (1–8): 6
• Correction: (+36): +36
• Total: (max. 100): 86

Roast Information
Medium-dark: take this through the gap and up to the edge of second - it may need a little more heat than typical to get there.